Part 27

Townsend's Ptilogonys, Ptilogonys Townsendi, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 206.

GENUS IV. CULICIVORA, Swains. GNAT-CATCHER.

Bill of moderate length, depressed at the base, rapidly attenuated, becoming very slender toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge distinct, the tip extremely narrow and deflected, the edges overlapping, the notch distinct, but very small; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, the ridge narrowed towards the end, the edges inclinate, the tip acute. Nostrils oblong, exposed. Head ovate; neck short; body slender. Feet of moderate length, tarsus longer than the middle toe, extremely slender, with the upper scutella indistinct; toes very small, extremely compressed; hind toe proportionally very large; outer adherent at the base. Claws well arched, extremely compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Wings of moderate length, concave; the first quill about a third of the length of the second, fourth longest, third and fifth little shorter. Tail long, slender, much rounded.

70. 1. Culicivora cœrulea, Lath. Blue-grey Gnat-catcher.

Plate LXXXIV. Male and Female.

Upper parts bright blue, deeper on the head, paler on the tail-coverts; a narrow black band on the forehead, extending over the eyes; wings brownish-black, margined with blue, some of the secondaries with bluish-white; tail glossy black, the outer feather on each side nearly all white, the next with its terminal half, and the third with its tip of that colour; lower parts greyish-white. Female similar, but with the tints duller, and the black band on the head wanting.

Male, 4-1/2, 6-1/2.

From Texas northward. Abundant. Migratory.

Blue-grey Flycatcher, Muscicapa cœrulea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 164.

Sylvia cœrulea, Bonap. Syn. p. 85.

Blue-grey Sylvan Flycatcher, Muscicapa cœrulea, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 297.

Blue-grey Flycatcher, Muscicapa cœrulea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 431.

FAMILY VIII. SYLVICOLINÆ. WOOD-WARBLERS.

Bill short, or of moderate length, rather slender, somewhat conical, considerably broader than high at the base, gradually compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its dorsal outline straight until near the end, the point very narrow, the notches very slight; lower mandible with the angle rather short and narrow, the dorsal line straight, the edges somewhat involute, the tip acute. Head moderate, ovate; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of moderate length; tarsus longer than the middle toe, slender, much compressed, with eight anterior scutella, of which the upper are blended; toes rather small, or of moderate size, hind toe proportionally stout, outer adherent for a short way at the base; claws moderate, much compressed, arched, acute. Plumage generally soft and blended. Wings of moderate length. Tail of moderate length, of twelve feathers. Tongue of moderate length, sagittate, tapering. Œsophagus of moderate width, without dilatation, proventriculus bulbiform; stomach of moderate size, roundish or elliptical, moderately muscular, with the muscles distinct; epithelium dense, longitudinally rugous; intestine short, rather wide; cœca very small; cloaca oblong. Trachea simple; with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles.

GENUS I. MYIODIOCTES, Aud. FLYCATCHING-WARBLER.

Bill of moderate length, stoutish, straight, considerably broader than high, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge distinct, the dorsal line convex toward the end, the edges sharp and overlapping, with a very faint notch close to the slightly deflected tip; lower mandible with the ridge indistinct, the sides rounded, the edges somewhat involute, the tip narrow, not ascending. Nostrils basal, oblong. Head ovate, of moderate size; neck short; body rather slender. Feet of moderate length; tarsus pretty stout, much compressed; scutella blended, excepting the lower three; toes of moderate length, very slender, the hind toe proportionally large, the third and fourth united at the base, all scutellate. Claws moderate, extremely compressed, well arched, very acute. Bristles at the base of the bill elongated but slender. Wings of moderate length, the second and third quills longest, the first scarcely shorter than the fourth. Tail moderate, slightly rounded. Name from [Greek: Myia], an insect, [Greek: Diôchtês], a pursuer.

71. 1. Myiodioctes mitratus, Lath. Hooded Flycatching-Warbler.--Hooded Flycatcher. Hooded Warbler.

Plate CX. Male and Female. Plate IX. Young.

Third quill longest, second longer than fourth, which slightly exceeds the first; tail slightly emarginate and rounded. Male with the forehead, sides of the head, breast, sides, abdomen, lower wing and tail coverts, rich pure yellow; hind head and neck all round black; upper parts yellowish-olive; wings and tail dusky brown, margined with yellowish-olive, an oblique patch of white on the inner webs of the three outer tail-coverts. Female with the forehead, the sides of the head, the throat, and all the lower parts yellow, the hind part of the head dusky, the upper part as in the male. Young similar to the female, but with the tints a little duller.

Male, 5-1/2, 8.

From Texas to Virginia. In the interior, as far as Memphis on the Mississippi. Rather common. Migratory.

Hooded Flycatcher, Muscicapa cucullata, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 101.

Sylvia mitrata, Bonap. Syn. p. 79.

Hooded Warbler, Sylvia mitrata, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 66. Adult Male and Female; v. v. p. 465.

Selby's Flycatcher, Muscicapa Selbyii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 46. Young.

72. 2. Myiodioctes canadensis, Linn. Spotted Canadian Flycatching Warbler.--Canadian Flycatcher. Canada Warbler.

Plate CIII. Male and Female.

Third quill longest, scarcely exceeding the second, fourth slightly shorter, first intermediate between the fourth and fifth; tail rounded. Male with the upper parts ash-grey; the feathers of the wings and tail brown, edged with grey; the head spotted with black; loral space, a band beneath the eye, proceeding down the side of the neck, and a belt of triangular spots across the lower part of the fore neck, black; the lower parts, and a bar from the nostril over the eye, pure yellow; lower wing and tail-coverts white. Female similar to the male, but with the black spots on the neck smaller and fainter. Young similar to the female, with the tints paler, and the neck unspotted.