GEN. CHAR. Sylvicoline birds with the characters of Flycatchers; the
bill notched at tip, depressed and broad at the base, though quite
deep; the rictus with well-developed bristles reaching beyond the
nostrils, sometimes to the end of the bill. First quill rather less
than the fourth, or still shorter. Size of the species rarely
exceeding six inches. Colors red, yellow, and olive.
The species of this section resemble the small Flycatchers of the
family _Tyrannidæ_ in the structure of the bill, etc., and in the
habit of capturing insects more or less on the wing, though they are
more restless in their movements, seeking their prey among trees or in
bushes, rapidly changing their place, instead of occupying a perch and
returning to it after pursuing an insect through the air. The yellow
or orange crown found in many species also carries out the analogy;
but the strictly Oscine characters of the tarsal scutellæ and the nine
primaries will serve to distinguish them.
The _Setophaginæ_ have their greatest development in Middle and South
America, no less than nine genera and subgenera being on record, of
which only two extend into the United States. Of one of these,
_Setophaga_, we have only a single species of the many described; the
other, _Myiodioctes_, has no members other than those found in the
United States.
The following diagnosis is prepared to distinguish our genera from the
South American:—
A. Wings pointed; the first quill longer than the fifth; the
third as long as or longer than the fourth. Tail nearly even, or
slightly rounded (the difference of the feathers less than .20);
the feathers broad and firm; the outer webs of exterior feathers
narrow at base, but widening to nearly double the width near the
end.
1. Bill from gape nearly as long as skull, broad at base and
much depressed; rictal bristles reaching half-way from
nostrils to tip. Culmen and commissure nearly straight. Wings
equal to the tail. Tarsi long; toes short; middle toe without
claw, about half the tarsus … _Setophaga_.
2. Bill from gape nearly as long as skull, broad at base, but
deep and more sylvicoline; rictal bristles reaching but
little beyond nostrils. Culmen and commissure straight to the
tip. Wings longer than the almost even tail. Middle toe
without claw, three fifths the tarsus … _Myiodioctes_.
3. Bill from gape much shorter than head, wide at base, but
compressed and high; the culmen and commissure much curved
from base, scarcely notched at tip; rictal bristles reaching
nearly half-way from nostrils to tip. Wings about equal to
the almost even tail. Middle toe without claw, about three
fifths the rather short tarsus … _Cardellina_.
B. Wings rounded; the first quill shorter than in the preceding
section; always less than the fifth. South American genera.[59]
Several species of _Setophaginæ_ have, on not very well established
grounds, been assigned to the southern borders of the United States.
They are as follows:—
Cardellina rubra, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1865, 264. (_Setophaga
rubra_, SWAINSON.) _Parus leucotis_, GIRAUD, Birds Texas.
_Hab._ Mexico. Rich carmine-red. Wing and tail-feathers
brown. Ear-coverts silvery white. Length, 4.70; wing, 2.40;
tail, 2.55.
Basileuterus culicivorus, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1865, 246. (_Sylvia
culicivora_, LICHT.) _Muscicapa brasieri_, GIRAUD, Texas
Birds. _Hab._ Southern Mexico; Guatemala and Costa Rica. Top
of head with two black stripes enclosing a median of yellow.
Back olivaceous-ash. Beneath entirely yellow. No rufous on
side of head. Length, 4.90; wing, 2.40; tail, 2.25.
Basileuterus belli, BAIRD, Rev. Am. Birds, 1865, 247. _Muscicapa
belli_, GIRAUD, Texas Birds. _Hab._ Mexico and Guatemala. Top
of head and face chestnut. A yellow superciliary stripe
bordered above by dusky. Back olive; beneath yellow. Length,
5.10; wing, 2.28; tail, 2.50.