SYLVICOLID^: AMEBIC AN WARBLERS. 287 
9. Family SYLVICOLID^ : American Warblers. 
Primaries, nine ; rec- 
trices, twelve; tarsi scii- 
tellate ; inner secondaries 
not enlarged, nor hind toe 
lengthened and straight- 
ened, as in the two pre- 
ceding families ; bill with- 
out a lobe or tooth near 
the middle of the com- 
missure, as in Pyranga ; 
not strongly toothed and 
hooked at end, as in La- 
nius and Vireo (which 
may have ten primaries), 
nor greatly flattened with 
gape reaching to eyes, as in 
HirundinidfS, nor strictly 
Fig. 160. — Black-throated Green Warbler, nat. size. (Ad nat. del. E. C.) conical with angulated 
commissure, as in Fringillidm. The family presents such a number of minor modifications 
of form, that it seems impossible to characterize it, except negatively ; in fact, it has never been 
satisfactorily defined. But doubtless the student will be able to assure himself that his speci- 
men is a sylvicoline, by its not showing the peculiarities of our other nine-primaried Oscines. 
All the sylvicolas are small birds ; excepting Icteria, and perhaps a species of Siurus, not 
one is over six inches long, and they hardly average over five. With few exceptions they 
are beautifully clothed in variegated colors; but the sexes are generally unlike, and the changes 
of plumage, with age and season of the year, are usually strongly marked, so that diflFerent 
specimens of the same species may bear to each other but little resemblance ; this of course 
renders careful discrimination necessary. The usual shape of the bill may be called conoid- 
elongate (something like a slender minie bullet in miniature), but the variations in precise 
shape are endless. The rictus is usually bristled ; the bristles sometimes have an extraordi- 
nary development, and are sometimes wanting. The wings are longer than the tail, except 
in Geothlypis, Icteria, and one or two exotic genera ; neither the wing nor tail ever presents 
striking forms ; the head is never crested. The feet have no special peculiarities, though 
they show some slight modifications corresponding to somewhat terrestrial, or more strictly 
arboricole, habits. The nidification is endlessly varied, more or less artistic or artless nests 
being built in trees, bushes, holes, or on the ground. Musical proficiency might be expected 
from the agreeably suggestive name of the family, but as a rule the warbler's" singing is 
rather quaint and curious" than very skilfully modulated or highly melodious, — to which 
statement, however, there is signal exception to be taken, as in the case of the Siiiri. Some of 
the warblers have the habits of titmice or wrens ; others of creepers or nuthatches ; the Siuri 
closely resemble the titlarks in some respects, and have even been placed in the 3Iotacillidcs ; 
while the SetophagincB simulate the Tyrannidce (of a different suborder) so perfectly that they 
used to be classed with these clamatorial flycatchers. The warblers grade so perfectly toward 
the tanagers that they have all been made a subfamily of Tanagridce (where possibly they 
belong). The affinity of some of them with the Cosrehidce, or honey-creepers of the tropics, is 
so close that the dividing line has not been drawn. The position of Icteria and its two asso- 
ciate exotic genera, Granatellus and Teretristis, is open to question ; perhaps they come nearer 
Vireonidce. It is probable that final critical study will result in a remapping of the whole 
