BIRDS-—SYLVICOLIDAE—DENDROiCA. 
263 
immaculate instead of conspicuously spotted. In both species there is a trace towards the base 
of the bill of a median light stripe, varying in extent with the specimen. 1 
The precise name of this large-billed species is a matter of uncertainty. The Tardus mota~ 
cilia, of Vieillot, has, as its chief distinguishing feature, a white lateral band from the bill 
involving the eye, or passing above and below it, and with a dusky island anterior to the eye. 
This is distinctly indicated both in the figure and description, and is so dissimilar in this 
respect from specimens of the allied species known in the United States, as to render it almost 
necessary to pass by Vieillot’s species at once. He further mentions that the under parts are 
whitish anteriorly, reddish posteriorly, and throughout, including the forepart of the throat, 
spotted with brown. The size of the bill, as given in this figure, and the under parts agree 
best with the slender-billed species, although differing in the color and character of the eye 
stripe ; if a synonym of either species, I should rather refer it to the S. noveboracensis. 
The description, by Cabanis, of Henicocichla major, from Xalapa, agrees very well with this 
species, although I do not exactly comprehend the force of the statement that it has a “broader 
whitish eyelid” than the other species ; although he probably refers to the superciliary stripe. 
There is, however, little doubt that the Seiurus ludovicianus, of Audubon, was based on an 
individual of the same species ; although the description is not very minute, yet the yellowish 
white colors, instead of pale yellow, the connection of the white superciliary and maxillary 
stripes behind the ear coverts, and the greater size, show this, as indicated still more satisfac¬ 
torily by the figure. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex and 
age. 
Locality. 
When 
collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
964 
Carlisle, Pa. 
May 12, 1843 
S. F. Baird. 
6 40 
10.75 
3 25 
3318 
o 
Liberty county, Gi. 
1846. 
W. L. Jones. 
6.30 
10.16 
3.20 
7357 
V 
Ann Arbor, Mich... 
7522 
Q 
Independence, Mo.. 
Spring, 1857 
Dr. Cooper. 
97 
5.75 
9.25 
3.75 
Iris brown, bill dark brown, 
feet black. 
4021 
Q 
Tamaulipas, Mex.. 
March, 1853 
Lieut. Couch..... 
93 
5.75 
10.00 
3.50 
Eyes dark, bill dark slate, 
feet light brown. 
9108 
$ 
Mexico. 
34420 
DENDROICA, Gray. 
Sylvicola, Gray, Genera Birds, 2d ed., 1841, 32. (Not of Humphreys nor Swainson.) 
Dendroica, Gray, Genera Birds, Appendix, 1842, 8. 
Rliimamphus, Hartlaub, Rev. Zool. 1845, 342. (Not of Rafinesque, Am. Monthly Mag. 1818 and Jour, de Pliys. 1819.) 
Ch.— Bill conical, attenuated, depressed at the base, where it is, however, scarcely broader than high, compressed from 
the middle. Culmen straight for the basal half, then rather rapidly curving, the lower edge of upper mandible also concave. 
Gonys slightly convex and ascending. A distinct notch near the end of the bill. Bristles, though short, generally quite 
distinct at the base of the bill. Tarsi long ; decidedly longer than middle toe, which is longer than the hinder one ; the claws 
rather small and much curved ; the hind claw nearly as long as its digit. The wings long and pointed ; the second quil 
usually a very little longer than the first. The tail slightly rounded and emarginate. 
Colors .—Tail always with a white spot; its ground color never clear olive green. 
The name Sylvicola, which has until recently been assigned to the present genus, cannot longer 
1 In the present species the bases of the feathers behind the ear coverts are whitish, thus connecting the superciliary stripe 
with the maxillary white stripe. In noveboracensis the dusky line through the eye is continuous with the olive of the side of the 
neck. 
