296 
SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — PA SSEBES — OSCINES. 
ish. In this condition specimens more closely resemble some other species than when adult ; 
but the short tail, long wings, and no crown-patch, should be distinctive. Chiefly Eastern 
North America, but west to the Upper Missouri region and in Colorado to the Rocky Mts. ; 
common, especially in the Mississippi Valley, but less so in the Atlantic States; migratory; 
breeds in New England and the northern tier of States, and thence to high latitudes in British 
America ; nest and eggs as in other species of the genus. 
38. PEUCE'DRAMUS. (Gr. ttcvkt], peulce, a pine, and bpayieiv, to run.) Olive Warblers. 
General aspect of Dendrosca. Tongue much as in that genus, but larger, with revolute edges, 
cleft tip, and laciniate for some distance from the end. Wings elongated, half as long again 
as the tail (in Dendroeca but little longer than the tail), reaching, when folded, nearly to the 
end of the tail. Tail emarginate. Tarsus no longer than the middle toe and claw. Hallux 
little if any longer than its claw. Bill little shorter than tarsus (averaging little over half the 
tarsus in Dendrosca), attenuate, notably depressed, yet very little widened at base. Culmen 
rather concave than convex in most of its length, the under outline almost perfectly straight 
from extreme base to tip. Nasal fossae very large, with a highly developed nasal scale. Eic- 
tal vibrisssB few and short. Plumage without streaks. One species known. 
110. P. oliva'ceus. (Lat. oUvaceus, olivaceous in color; oliva, an olive.) Olive Warbler. 
^ : Upper parts ashy, more or less olivaceous, changing to greenish on the nape. Head and 
neck all around orange-brown or intense saffron- yellow, with a broad black bar on the side of 
the head through the eye. Wings blackish, the inner webs of all the quills edged with white, 
the outer webs of most of the primaries with whitish, and the outer webs of the secondaries 
with greenish ; most of the primaries also marked with white on the outer webs at base, form- 
ing a conspicuous spot (only seen elsewhere in D. ccerulescens, which is altogether different in 
other characters). Tail like the wings, with greenish edging of most of the feathers, the two 
outer ones on each side mostly or wholly white. Belly and sides whitish, tinged with olive or 
brownish. Basal half of under mandible light brown. Length 4.75-5.25 ; extent 8.25-9.00 ; 
wing 2.75-3.10; tail 2.25-2.55 ; bill 0.55; tarsus 0.75. The female is described as having 
the saffron color much clearer yellowish, and shaded with olive-green on the crown; the black 
bar replaced by whitish, excepting a dusky patch on the auriculars. A remarkable Mexican 
warbler, lately ascertained to inhabit Arizona, especially in mountainous localities ; probably 
also Texas and New Mexico. It has much the habits of the pine-creeper ; the nest and eggs 
are still unknown. 
39. DENDRCE'CA, (Or. devBpov, dendron, a tree, and oiVo), oikeo, I inhabit.) Wood Warblers. 
Bill variable in shape, usually conico-attenuate, more or less depressed at base, compressed 
from the middle, notched near the tip, not showing the extreme acuteness of that of Helmin- 
therus, HelmintJiopTiila, and Protonotaria. Rictus with obvious bristles, which are not evi- 
dent in the true worm-eating" warblers. Tarsus longer than the middle toe and claw (it is 
shorter, or not longer, in Mniotiltd). Hind toe little if any longer than its claw (decidedly 
longer in Mniotilta and Paruld). Wings much longer than tail, pointed, 1st and 2d primaries 
longest. Tail moderate, with rather broad feathers, nearly even, but varying to slightly 
rounded, or with slight central emargination. Pattern of coloration indeterminate. Tail always 
with white blotches (except in esstiva and its immediate allies, where the inner webs are 
yellow), never plain olivaceous. Crown never with lateral black stripes, nor under parts 
uniformly streaked with blackish on a pale ground, nor back with a yellow patch, nor whole 
head yellow. Length usually five or six inches ; rarely under and perhaps never over these 
dimensions. Nest in bushes or trees, Avith rare exceptions. Eggs white, spotted. It is not 
easy to frame a definition of this genus covering all its modifications, yet introducing no term 
inapplicable to any species ; but the foregoing expressions considered collectively, however 
arbitrary or trivial some of them may seem to be, will serve to distinguish any Dendroeca from 
its allies of other genera; and, if so, the diagnosis is exclusively pertinent to the group as con- 
