2. The Muscicapa altiloqua of Vieillot, which may either be, as Bonaparte observes, the
V. olivacea, or the species here denominated longirostris.
3. The Sylvia gilva of Vieillot, which is probably the melodia of Wilson above noticed: the
description is too loose and unsatisfactory'to be applied to our bird.*
4. The Vireo virescens of the same author, which may be this species, or another, much
smaller, of which a wing only was brought home by the Expeditions.
It is the misfortune of those who aim at accuracy, that they are either obliged
to give new names to species which they cannot find perfectly described, but
which, in fact, may not be new,—or they must assimilate their species to some
other, which eventually turns out to be totally distinct. Of two evils, we rather
choose to risk the former, since a striking instance of the latter is given in this
very group : the West Indian bird being perfectly different from that of North
America, with which, as it now appears, all writers have confounded it.
A specimen of this species was procured, by Mr. David Douglas, on the banks
of the Colombia. It appears to have been a young bird, and is somewhat injured
by insects; but we have attentively compared it with two other specimens f, one
from Brazil, the other from South Carolina, and all three agree in that particular
structure of the wing which is nearly the sole external distinction it possesses.
The essential differences, in short, between the two species in their outward
form is confined to the structure of their wings and to their respective sizes.
Olivaceus is larger, and has the first quill feather invariably much longer than
the fifth, a character which is conspicuous in seventeen specimens now before us.
Bartramii is much smaller, the colours rather brighter, the wings considerably
shorter and more rounded, and the first quill always shorter than the fifth. The
former seems confined to North America, the latter extends to Brazil. The comparative
size of the bills in both is the same, but the length is variable.
The following measurements will shew the differences of size between the
species more clearly. Vireo olivaceus. V. Bartramii, yng. V. Bartramii, adult.
L .
Inches.
■ SA
Inches.
4r%
Inches*
of the bill from the front of the wings . . • 3 * A of the tarsus . 2ÏO • T5 A hardly ^
---Sw.
* “ Cette espèce a le bec et les pieds bruns ; la tête, le dessus du cou, et du corps gris : cette teinte est légèrement
nuancée de verdâtre sur le dos. Longueur totale quatre pouces, neuf lignes.”_Ois, de VAm. Lep., i., p. 65.
f In Mr. Swainson’s muséum.
DESCRIPTION
Of an adult, shot by Mr. Swainson in Brazil, lat. 12° S.
Size somewhat larger than the Wood-wren. Plumage precisely the same as that of Vireo
olivaceus ; but the olive-green on the upper parts brighter, and the yellow tint on the vent,
under tail coverts, and under wing coverts, stronger. The stripe of white over the eye
equally broad, clear, and margined above by a similar black line.—Sw.
V ir e o l o n g ir o s t r is . (Swainson.) Long-billed Greenlei.
Ge n u s , Vireo. V ie il l o t . Olive-coloured Fly-catcher (Muscicapa sub-fusco-viridis sive olivacei coloris'). E dwards, pi. 253, p. 93.
C h . Sp . V ir e o l o n g ir o s t r is , colore Vireonis olivacei, lined gulam cingente nigra, rostro elongato,• alts brevibus
mediam caudce baud attingentibus, remige quartd primam superanti.
Sp . Ch. Plumage of V. olivaceus ; chin margined by a black line; bill lengthened; wings short, not reaching to half
the length of the tail;. the first quill feather shorter than the fourth.
It is probable that the true Vireo olivaceus does not occur in the West Indies, and that the bird known there by the
name of Whip-Tom-Kelly (supposed by Wilson, from the similarity of its notes, to be the same with V. olivaceus,) is
in reality different. We have never seen a specimen of the true olivaceus from those islands; but, under that name,
we have received, both from Jamaica and St. Vincent’s, a third, which we shall here describe, to complete the illustration
of the two preceding. We strongly suspect that this is the identical species first made known by our accurate
countryman Edwards, whose figure has been quoted by all writers for the. olivaceus of North America. The specimen
which Edwards examined had been preserved in spirits, and the colours of the plumage must consequently have been
obscured: hence his description, in this respect, is somewhat defective ; but it is worthy of remark, that the blackish
line on the side of the chin, although not mentioned in the description, is perfectly indicated in the plate; while the
length of the bill and the shortness of the wings are so completely characteristic of our bird, that we have no doubt of
its being the same. Edwards expressly mentions, that he received his specimen from Dr. Browne, who brought it
from Jamaica, where it is known, says the Doctor, by the name of Whip-Tom-Kelly ; “ it has not many notes, but
they are loud and sweet.”—Sw.
DESCRIPTION.
Size and general plumage similar to Vireo virescens and olivaceus, except in the colours being somewhat duller than
'those of the last: it is essentially distinguished by a narrow line of dusky-black, which margins each side of the chin:
the bill is proportionally lengthened, and the wings so short as hardly to exceed the length of the upper tail covers.
Total length, 5^ inch.; bill from the front, inch; wings, 2—$ inch.; and tarsi, ^ inch. —Sw.
[61.1 1. B o m r y c il l a g a r r u l a . (Bonap.) European Chatterer.
Sub-f a m il y , Bombycillinae. Sw ains. Genus, Bombycilla. B r isso n .
Bombycilla Bohemica. Briss. Ora., ii., p. 333.
Ampelis garrulus. Gmel. Syst., i., p. 838, sp. 1.
Waxen Chatterer. L a th . Syn., iii., p. 91, sp. 1.
Grand Jaseur (Bombycivora garrula). Temm., i., p. 124.
Bombycilla garrula (Bohemian Wax-wing.) B o na p. Ora., pi. 16, f. 2.
This elegant bird has only lately been detected in America, having been discovered,
in the spring of 1826, near the sources of the Athabasca, or Elk river,