Bill of moderate length, straight, rather stout, compressed toward the
end; gape-line slightly arched, notches distinct, tip very small,
declinate. Head rather large, ovate; neck short; body rather slender.
Feet of moderate length; tarsus compressed, slender, with seven
anterior scutella; toes rather small, hind toe rather stout, lateral
equal. Claws moderate, arched, compressed, acute. Plumage soft and
blended. Wings of moderate length, rather pointed. Tail of moderate
length, even or emarginate. Roof of upper mandible concave, with a
median ridge; tongue narrow, flat above, with the point slit;
œsophagus of moderate length, without dilatation; stomach,
roundish, muscular, with a dense rugous epithelium; intestine short,
and rather wide; cœca very small. Trachea simple, with four pairs
of inferior laryngeal muscles.
GENUS I. VIREO, Vieill. GREENLET.
Bill rather short or of moderate length, rather strong, straight,
broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper
mandible with the dorsal line slightly convex, the ridge narrow, the
sides sloping and towards the end somewhat convex, the edges straight,
the notches distinct, the tip small, decurved, acute; lower mandible
with the angle of moderate length and rather narrow, the dorsal line
ascending and rather convex, the sides convex, the edges inclinate,
the tip acute and ascending. Nostrils basal, oblong. Head rather
large, ovate; neck short; body rather stout. Tarsus rather short,
slender, compressed, with seven scutella; toes small, first large,
inner considerably shorter than outer, which is adnate at the base.
Plumage soft and blended; bristles small. Wings rather long, with the
second and third quills longest, the first not much shorter. Tail of
moderate length, nearly even.