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.
Genus MYIODIOCTES, Aud.
Myiodioctes, Audubon, Synopsis, 1839, 48. (Type, Motacilla mitrata, Gm.)—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 291.
Wilsonia, Bonap. List. 1838 (preoccupied in botany).
Myioctonus, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1850, 18. (Type, Motacilla mitrata.)
Myiodioctes mitratus.
2226
Gen. Char. Bill broad, depressed; the lateral outlines a little concave; the bristles reaching not quite half-way from nostrils to tip. Culmen and commissure nearly straight to near the tip. Nostrils oval, with membrane above. Wings pointed, rather longer than the nearly even but slightly rounded tail; first quill shorter than the fourth, much longer than the fifth; the second and third quills longest. Tarsi rather lengthened, the scutellar divisions rather indistinct; the middle toe without claw, about three fifths the tarsus.
This genus is distinguished from Setophaga, mainly by stouter feet and longer toes; shorter and more even tail, narrower bill, etc. The species are decidedly muscicapine in general appearance, as shown by the depressed bill with bristly rictus. The type M. mitratus is very similar in character of bill to Dendroica castanea, but the wings are much shorter; the tail longer and more graduated; the legs and hind toe longer, and the first primary shorter than the fourth (.15 of an inch less than the longest), not almost equal to the longest. The species are plain olive or plumbeous above, and yellow beneath. They may be grouped as follows:—
A. Tail with white patches on the inner feathers.