BIRDS—SYLYICOLIDAE—SETOPHAGA RUTICILLA. 
297 
SETOPHAGA, Swain son. 
Setophaga, Swainson, Zool. Jour. Ill, Dec. 1827, 360, Type Muscicapa ruticilla, Linn. 
Sylvania, Nuttall, Man. Orn. I, 1832. Type Muscicapa ruticilla. 
Ch. —Bill depressed; broader than high; rictus with long bristles. Wings rounded, equal to or shorter than the tail; first 
quill shorter than the fourth. Tail long; somewhat graduated, the outer feathers about .20 of an inch or more shorter; all the 
feathers unusually broad, and widened at the end. Feet short; tarsus shorter than the head. Hind toe equal to the lateral. 
Coloration embracing more or less of red in northern species. 
This genus differs from Myiodiodes chiefly in the longer broader tail, and rather shorter tarsi 
and toes, the hinder especially. The bill is more muscicapine ; the culmen nearly straight to 
the abruptly decurved and much notched tip ; the gonys straight. In Myiodiodes the vertical 
outlines are more convex; the gonys more ascending; the tip gently and but slightly 
decurved. 
The species of this genus are all characterized by the brilliant red, yellow, black, &c., of 
their plumage, and, according to Ivaup, (Pr. Zool. Soc. 1851, 49,) may be divided into 
geographical groups, characterized by the prevalence of particular colors. The South American 
species have more or less of yellow. The Mexican are usually black and red, without any pure 
yellow. 
Synopsis of species. 
Black: base of the quills and tail, and sides of the breast reddish orange. Abdomen 
white... S. ruticilla. 
Black : belly red, broad patch on the wings, and outer tail feathers white. S. picta. 
Ash color : forehead, throat, and tail, black ; breast and belly, red ; a chestnut spot on 
the crown. Three outer tail feathers tipped with white. S. miniata. 
Comparative measurements of species. 
Catal. 
No. 
Species. 
Locality. 
Sex and 
age. 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
Middle 
toe. 
Its claw 
alone. 
Bill 
above. 
Along 
gape. 
Specimen 
measured. 
984 
Setophaga ruticilla. 
S 
4.78 
2.50 
2.46 
0.64 
0.52 
0.14 
0.36 
0.46 
do.. 
5.25 
7.66 
2.58 
2281 
O 
4 50 
2.50 
2.44 
0.64 
0.55 
0.16 
0.36 
0.50 
do.. 
V 
5 16 
7.75 
2.50 
4014 
Setophaga picta.... .... 
5.00 
2.70 
2.50 
0.62 
0.58 
0 16 
0.39 
0.46 
do.. 
5 25 
7.25 
2 50 
558 
Setophaga miniata. 
5.58 
2.52 
3.00 
0.72 
0,60 
0.16 
0.34 
0.48 
8021 
4 96 
2.26 
2.50 
0.70 
0.56 
0.16 
0.38 
0 48 
561 
Cardellina rubra. 
4.86 
2.40 
2.54 
0.73 
0.56 
0.14 
0.33 
0.44 
Basileuterus rufifrons... 
Mexico.. 
4.92 
1.90 
2.54 
0.74 
0.56 
0.16 
0.40 
0 50 
Dry. 
* Very much stretched. 
SETOPHAGA RUTICILLA, Swainson. 
Red Start. 
Muscicapa ruticilla, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 326.— Gmelin, I, 1788, 935 — Vieillot, Ois. Am. Sept. I, 1807, 
66 ; pi. xxxv, xxxvi. —Wilson, Am. Orn. I, 1808, 103 ; pi. vi, f. 6. —Bon. Obs. 1826, 118. — 
Aud. Orn. Biog. 1, 1831, 202 : V, 1839, 428 ; pi. xl. 
Setophaga ruticilla, Swainson, Zool. Jour. Ill, 1827, 358.— Ib. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 223.— Bon. List, 1838.— Ib. 
Consp. 1850, 312. 
Sylvania ruticilla, Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 291. (Type of genus.) 
Motacilla flavicauda, Gmelin, Syst. N t. I, 1783, 997. (Female.) 
38 h 
