154 
SYLVIIISTJ^. CALAMOHERPE. 
GENUS XLIX. CALAMOHERPE. REEDLING. 
Bill of moderate length, straight, slender, broader than 
high at the base, compressed toward the end ; upper man- 
dible with its dorsal line slightly decimate, towards the end 
a little convex, the ridge narrow at the base, the edges direct, 
the notches obscure, the tip narrow ; lower mandible with 
the edges inflected, the tip acute ; gape-line straight. Mouth 
of moderate width ; tongue of ordinary length, very narrow, 
sagittate and papillate at the base, concave above, horny 
toward the end, bristly on the edges at the tip, which is slit ; 
oesophagus of moderate width, nearly uniform ; proventri- 
culus oblong ; stomach of moderate size, elliptical, compress- 
ed, its lateral muscles moderately thick, the tendons rather 
large, the cuticular lining dense and longitudinally rugous ; 
intestine of moderate length and width ; coeca very small. 
Nostrils elliptical, pervious. Eyes of moderate size. Aper- 
ture of ear large, roundish. Head ovate, flattened above, nar- 
row before ; neck short ; body slender. Feet of moderate 
length ; tarsus much compressed, with eight anterior scutella; 
toes much compressed, the second and fourth about equal, the 
first strongest, the third and fourth united at the base ; claws 
long, moderately arched, extremely compressed, laterally 
grooved, very acute. Plumage generally blended ; bristles 
rather strong ; wings of moderate length, a little curved, 
broad ; the first quill extremely small, the second and third 
longer ; tail rather long, straight, rounded. 
The species of this genus are remarkable for their habit 
of frequenting marshy places, and the banks of rivers and 
lakes, among the willows, reeds, and sedges of which they 
seek their food, creeping along the stalks and foliage. Un- 
less in having the tarsi more elongated, the claws larger, and 
the wings shorter and more concave, they differ little from 
some of the Sylvise. 
90 . CALAMOHERPE PHRAGMITIS. SeDGE ReEDLING. 
Tail rather long, slightly rounded ; upper part of the head 
brownish-black, the feathers edged with light brown ; back 
and wing-coverts light olive-brown tinged with yellow, the 
central part of each feather dark brown ; rump light reddish- 
brown j a yellowish-white streak over the eye ; lower parts 
