B 3 3bl D33 ft* RIFT MANUAL VEBTEBEATES UNITED STATES, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, AND NORTH OF NORTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE, EXCLUSIVE ^ OF MARINE SPECIES. DAVID STARR JORDAN, M.S., M.D. PROFESSOR OF NATURAL HISTORY IN N. W. C. UNIVERSITY, AND IN INDIANA STATE MEDICAL COLLEGE. CHICAGO: JANSEN, McCLURG & COMPANY. 1876. LIBRARY COPYRIGHT, JANSEN, MOCLURG & COMPANY, A. D . 1 « ? t>. THE LAKESIDE PRESS, CHICAGO. PEEFAOE. This book has been written to give collectors and students who are not specialists, a ready means of identifying the families, genera and species of our Vertebrate Animals. In deference to the uniform experience of botanists, and in view of the remarkable success achieved by Dr. COUES, in the application of the method to Ornithology, the author has adopted the system of artificial keys. To keep the book of a size convenient for field use, class and ordinal characters have been abbreviated, since they do not lie directly within the purpose of the work ; generic characters have been confined to the " key," under the head of each family, while for specific characters, only such points have been gen erally retained, as are distinctive as well as descriptive. The same necessity has led to the suppression of many of the doubt ful or nominal " species," which still encumber our systematic works, and to the omission of synonymy and references to auth orities, excepting in cases of recent or original changes of nomenclature. Use has been freely made of every available source of infor mation, and it is believed that the present state of our knowl edge is fairly represented. The account of the Mammals has been chiefly compiled from PROF. BAIKD'S " Mammals of North America," in the light of the recent revisions by Mr. J. A. ALLEN, Dr. COUES, and Prof. GILL. I am indebted to Mr. B. H. VAN VLECK, of Cambridge, Mass, for the revision of the proof-sheets of the Mammals and the Turtles. I wish further to express my deep obligation to Dr. ELLIOTT COUES, having by his advice and consent, made free use of all his published writings. These have been drawn upon especi ally in the preparation of the keys to the Warblers, the Hawks, and other difficult groups, in the descriptions of the Water 3 M85637 4 PREFACE. Birds, and iu the preli&inary key to the ordeis of Birds. Dr. COUES has also kindly placed at my disposal the ad vauce - sheets of his yet unpublished monograph of American Bats. I am also under obligations to Messrs. BAIRD and RIDGWAY, whose writings have been to me of essential service; to Prof. COPE, whose numerous papers have been of great value in the systematic arrangement of the Fishes, and whose check list of the Reptiles and Batrachiaus has been closely followed in the classification of those groups ; to Prof. GILL, \vhose arrangement of the families of Fishes has been, with few modifications, adopted in the present work ; to Dr. GUNTIIER, whose Catalogue of Fishes is the vade-mecum of the working ichthyologist; to Prof. RICHARD BLISS, Jr., who has generously aided me in the identification of the Ichthelidae, in advance of the publication of his monograph of that most difficult group ; to Mr. E. W. NELSON, of Chicago, who has kindly furnished me with a yet unpub lished list of the Birds and Reptiles of Illinois; to Prof. F. W. PUTNAM, Dr. B. G. WILDER, and Dr. C. C. ABBOTT, for the loan of books and other aids ; to Prof. H. E. COPELAND, for help of various kinds, particularly in the verification of descriptions, and to the many collectors and compilers of local lists, who have freely placed their material at my disposal. Our knowledge of the geographical distribution of many animals is still veiy imperfect. Quite a number of Southern and Western species, here excluded as extra-limital, will prob ably yet be found within the region included in this work. Additions and corrections of every character are earnestly solicited from naturalists and teachers. D. S. J. INDIANAPOLIS, IND., May, 1876. SIGNS, ABBREVIATIONS, ETC., EXPLAINED. I. — MAMMALS. i.~ Incisor teeth. c.= Canines. m.= Molars. Thus " i. f :f " indicates two incisor teeth on each side in the upper jaw, and one on each side in the lower. " Toes 5-4 " implies fore feet five-toed, hind feet four-toed. Other signs are as used in Birds. II.— BIRDS. £.=Length in inches (along back from tip of bill to end of longest tail feather) ; thus, "L. 7± " means, length 7i inches. E.— Extent (spread of wing) measured in inches. TF".=Length of wing (from bend of closed wing — carpal joint — to tip of longest feather) in inches. T.= Length of tail in inches (i.e., actual length of the longest tail feather.) B.= Length of bill in inches (measured along culmen from tip to frontal feathers.) Hd.= Length of head in inches (measured with dividers from base of bill to nape.) Ts.= Length of tarsus in inches (measured in front.) Td.= Length of middle toe with its claw. The measurements given in the descriptions are understood to represent a fair average adult male; a variation of one-sixth, or more, in absolute length is nothing unusual ; relative lengths, as of wings and tail, are much more constant. To save space I have preferred to say "L. 6," to saying "L..5i to 6i." 2= Female, 6 SIGNS, ABBREVIATIONS, ETC. . >, 14 More thans longer ,than, Scotophilus, Leach. * Teeth 38; molars -f.f ; species with thin wings and ears. (Ves- pertilio.) 1. /. subulatus, Say. LITTLE BROWN BAT. Face VESPERTILIONIDJB. — VII. 23 small, fox-like, with high forehead and pointed snout; ears large, oval, twice the height of the erect tragus; wings naked; iiiterfemoral membrane naked except at base, face whiskered; color dull olive-brown. L. 3; E. 9; T. 1^-. N. Am.; abundant every where. A small and very variable species. ( V. lucifugus, Le C.) ** Teeth 36; molars -f if. (Vesperides.) 2. V. nociiva.ga.ns, LeC. SILVER BLACK BAT. Tragus almost as broad as high, scarcely one-third height of ear; femoral membrane entirely though scantily furred; fur long and silky, black, usually with silvery tips to the hairs. L. 3J; E. 12; T. 1|. U. S. generally. *** Teeth 34; molars -f.'f j stouter species, with thicker wings and more leathery ears. (Vesperugo.) 3. V. georgianus, F. Cuvier. GEORGIA BAT. Tragus slender, erect, half the height of the auricle; upper in cisors about equal in size; femoral membrane one-third furred; dark reddish brown, brighter forwards. L. 3; E. 9; T. 1^-. Maine to Texas; chiefly southward. **** Teeth 32; molars f:f; stout species. (Vesperus.) 4. /. fuscus, Beauv. CAROLINA BAT. DUSKY BAT. Tragus never pointed, nearly half as high as auricle; wings naked; interfemoral membrane furred at base; ears more or less turned outward; upper lateral incisors small, scarcely visible. L. 3 to 4; E. 12; T. 1|-. U. S.; a widely diffused species. ( V. caroUnensis, Geoff. St. Hilaire.) 2. AT A LA PH A, Rafinesque. RED BATS. * Teeth 30 ; molars fif ; upper incisors small ; wings naked and interfemoral membranes nearly so. (Nycticejus.) 1. A. crepuscularis, (Le C.) Coues. TWILIGHT BAT. Ears small, wide apart; a small wart above eye; fur 24 MAMMALS. rather scanty; dark fawn color above, passing into brownish below; L. 3^-; E. 9; T. 1-J. Perm, to Mo., and S.W. ** Teeth 32 ; molars -f ".-f ; upper incisors stout ; interfemoral mem brane hairy above, and wings with furry patches (Lasiurus.) 2. A. noveboracensis, (Erxl.) Coues. RED BAT. Fur long and silky, reddish brown, mostly white at tip; lips and ears not edged with black; a whitish tuft at base of thumb; L. 3|; E. 12; T. If. U. S., every where. An abundant species, readily known by its reddish color. 3. A. cinereus, (Beauv.) Coues. HOARY BAT. Rich chocolate - brown, overlaid with white; lips and ears marked with black; L. 5; E. 14; T. 2£. U. S., rather northward, rare. (T7". pruinosm, Say.) 3. CORYNORHINUS, Harrison Allen. BIG-EARED BATS. 1. C. macrotis, (Le C.) H. Allen. BIG-EARED BAT. Blackish, fur soft and long; L. 3£; E. 11; T. If. Va. to Missouri region and S. OEDEE D.-IN-SECTIVOEA. (The Insect Eaters.) FAMILY VIII.— TALPIDJE. (The Moles) Body stout, thick, and clumsy, without visible neck. Eyes rudimentary, sometimes concealed. No external ears. Limbs very short; feet greatly expanded and provided with strong claws, adapted for digging; anterior limbs much larger than posterior. Scapula as long as humerus and radius together. Canines usually present. SORICIDJE. — IX. 25 Fur compact, soft and velvety. Found on both conti nents. * Nose elongated, not fringed; nostrils superior or lateral; tail short. f Teeth 36 ; nostrils partly superior ; tail nearly naked. SCALOPS, 1. ff Teeth 44 ; nostrils lateral ; tail densely hairy. SCAPANUS, 2. ** Nose, elongated, fringed at end with a circle of long fleshy projections; nostrils terminal; tail nearly as long as body; teeth 44 CONDYLURA, 3. /. SCALOPS, Cuvier. SHREW MOLES. 1. 5. aquaticus, (L.) Fischer. COMMON MOLE. Dark plumbeous, paler below; feet full webbed; eyes not covered by skin. E. U. S.; an abundant and well known species. 2. S. argentatus, Aud. & Bach. PRAIRIE MOLE. Silvery plumbeous; said to be larger and more silvery than the preceding. Ohio and W., chiefly in the prairie region. 2. SCAPANUS,Pome\. HAIRY -TAILED MOLES. 1. S. brewer/, (Bach.) Pomel. HAIRY -TAILED MOLE. Dark plumbeous, with brown gloss. E. U. S. 3. CONDYLURA, Illiger. STAR-NOSED MOLES. 1. C. cr/'stata, (L.) Desmarest. STAR-NOSED MOLE. Blackish. U. S., chiefly northerly, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. FAMILY IX.— SORICID^E. (The Shrews.) Mouse-like Insectivora, with the eyes and external ears distinctly developed. Muzzle elongated. Feet normal, not fossorial; the fore-feet mostly smaller than the hind ones. Teeth -3-£-Q- no canines. The most 26 MAMMALS. abundant and widely distributed family of the Insecti- vora. The assumed specific distinctions in this family are utterly worthless, and it is at present impossible to characterize the species. The following are the best known. * Ears large ; auricle directed backwards ; tail about as long as the body; upper anterior incisors with a second basal hook, and an angular process on the inner side near the point. SOREX, 1. ** Ears small, concealed by the fur ; tail not longer than head ; auricle directed forwards; upper anterior incisor without above-mentioned hook and process. . . BLARINA, 2. /. SOREX, Linnaeus. SHREWS. 1. S. p/afyrhinus, (Dek.) Wagner. COMMON SHREW. A small, long-nosed, large-eared species, of a chestnut color, having the tail much shorter than head and body; said to be abundant in the Eastern and Middle States. 2. S. cooper/, Bach. WESTERN SHREW. Still smaller; color light chestnut; tail nearly as long as head and body. New England, N. and W. 2. BLARINA, Gray. SHORT-TAILED SHREWS. 1. B. brevicauda, (Say) Baird. MOLE SHREW. Tail less than one-third length of head and body; color brownish gray. E. U. S., the common species. OEDEE E.-EODENTIA. (The Rodents or Glires.) FAMILY X.— SCIURID^E. (The Squirrels.) Rodents with the molars J-iJ- (upper anterior often deciduous), the last 4 of nearly equal size; a distinct postorbital process of frontal bone; tibia and fibula SCIUKLDJG. — X. 27 distinct. Species of rather small size, widely distributed. The variations in color, .etc., are extremely great, and the number of well-defined species is very much less than was once supposed. * A densely furred membrane extending along the sides between the anterior and posterior limbs ; tail depressed, flattened, densely furred ; permanent molars 5-5 above. SCIUKOPTERUS, 1. ** Sides without membrane for " flying." f No cheek pouches ; tail bushy, at least as long as body ; ears long ; no black stripes along the back. . SCIUKUS, 2. ft Cheek pouches present. ^ Back with 3 to 5 distinct black stripes ; tail shorter than body, not bushy ; cheek pouches well developed. TAMIAS, 3. ^ Not as above ; body rather slender, squirrel-like ; cheek pouches well developed; claw of thumb rudimentary or wanting. . . * . . SPERMOPHILUS, 4. $$ Body large, thick-set, depressed ; cheek pouches shallow ; thumb rudimentary, armed with a small flat nail, not a claw; soles naked. . . . ARCTOMYS, 5. /. SCIUROPTERUS, F. Cuvier. FLYING SQUIRRELS. < PteromyS) Cuvier. 1. S. vo/ans (L.) Coues. COMMON FLYING SQUIRREL. Yellowish brown, creamy white below. N. Am., abun dant. (P. volucella, etc., authors.) 2. SCIURUS, Linnseus. SQUIRRELS. 1. 5. cinereus, Linn. Fox SQUIRREL. Upper molars permanently 4; tail very large and bushy; general color rusty gray, varying from almost white, through various shades of rusty red to jet black, the latter color rare northward, reddish and orange shades predominating westward; L. 26; T. 14. E. U. S., very abundant in the 28 MAMMALS. Mississippi region. Leading varieties are: var. the Southern form, gray to black with the ears and nose white; var. cinereus, the Eastern form, with short ears, scarcely longer than the fur; and var. ludovicianus, the Western form, with high ears and a prevailing tinge of orange red. 2. S. carolinensis, Auct. GRAY SQUIRREL. BLACK SQUIRREL. Upper molars 5; varies from grizzly yellow ish gray to pure jet black; L. 24; T. 13. N. Am., E. of the plains, abundant. 3. S. hudsonius, Pallas. RED SQUIRREL. CHICKAREE. Chiefly rusty red, back with a wash of brighter red; L. 14; T. 6£. N. Am., rather northerly; abundant. 3. TANIIAS, Illiger. GROUND SQUIRRELS. 1. T. striatus, (L.) Baird. CHIPMUNK. GROUND SQUIR REL. Back and sides with five black stripes; L. 11; T. 4J. Maine to Va., and westward; abundant. 4. SPERMOPHILUS, Cuvier. GOPHERS. 1. S. tridecemlineatus, ( Mitch. ) Aud. & Bach. STRIPED GOPHER. Dark brown, with light stripes alternating with lines of dots, about thirteen in all; L. 10; T. 4. Prairies; Ark. to the Saskatchawan. 2. S. frank/in/, (Sab.) Rich. GRAY GOPHER. Yellow ish gray, mottled with brown; L. 15; T. 5£. Prairies; 111. and northward. 5. ARCTOMYS, Schreber. MARMOTS. 1. A. monax, (L.) Gmel. WOODCHUCK. GROUND HOG. Grizzly gray, varying to chestnut and blackish. Hud son's Bay to Va., and westward; common.' GEOMYID^E. — XII. 39 FAMILY XL — CASTORIDJ3. ( The Beavers.) Aquatic Rodents of large size, having the molars rootless, £:f-, or J;J; fore feet with five distinct toes and claws; tibia and fibula distinct; no postorbital process. A small family, containing but two existing genera, Anisonyx of our N.W. coast, and Castor. * Molars 4r4 above ; hind feet webbed ; tail broad, flat, and scaly. CASTOR, 1. /. CASTOR, Linnaeus. BEAVERS. 1. C. fiber, L. BEAVER. Mexico to the Polar Sea; now being rapidly exterminated. (C. canadensis^ Kuhl.) FAMILY XII. — GEOMYHLE. (The Pouched Gophers.) Cheek pouches large and distinct, opening outside of the mouth. Molars J:f; incisors large and thick; skull heavy; temporal bones enormously developed. Limbs about equal, the fore claws, five in number, very large; tibia and fibula united. Body thick-set and clumsy. Genera two, Geomys and Thomomys, all North Ameri can, and chiefly inhabiting the central plains; habits nocturnal and subterranean. * A large groove near the middle of each upper incisor ; crown of molars elliptical GEOMYS, 1. /. GEOMYS, Rafinesque. POUCHED GOPHERS. 1. G. bursarius, (Shaw) Rich. POCKET GOPHER. Red dish brown, with plumbeous tinge. Prairies, Wis. and Ills., westward. FAMILY XIII. — ZAPODHLE. (The Jumping Mice) Hind legs greatly elongated, adapted for. taking long leaps; fore legs short. Tail very long. Molars -f:-f-; 30 MAMMALS. tibia and fibula united. Contains, probably, but a single species, inhabiting the Northern U. S., related to the Old World Jerboas. /. ZAPUS, Coues JUMPING MICE. = Jaculus, Wagler. 1. Z. hudson/us, ( Zimmermann ) Coues. Yellowish brown. U. S., chiefly northward; Variable. FAMILY XIV. — MURID^E. (The Mice.) Incisors f ; molars usually |:|; anteorbital foramen a vertical slit, widening above and bounded externally by a broad plate of the upper maxillary; coronoid and condyloid processes of lower jaw well developed. A large family, found in all parts of the globe, some of the species (Mus} being cosmopolitan, having accompanied man in his migrations through the ages; all are of small size, the muskrat being one of the largest, and many are smaller than any other quadrupeds, except the Shrews. * Incisors laterally compressed ; molars rooted- (MURIN^E.) f Molars with three tubercles in transverse series ; soles naked ; tail long, scaly ; (Old World species, introduced in America.) Mus, 1. ff Molars complicated, with, two tubercles in transverse series ; soles usually hairy ; (New World species.) a. Rat-like ; size large ; ears large, rarely naked. NEOTOMA, 2. aa. Mouse-like ; size small. b. Incisors not grooved ; ears very large ; feet and lower parts usually white. . . . HESPEROMYS, 3. bb. Size very small ; upper incisors grooved longitudinally along their anterior surface. . OCHETODON, 4. ** Incisors as broad as deep ; molars rootless (except in Ewtomys). $ Tail not specially compressed ; teeth not grooved. MtJIlID^E. — XIV. 31 6. Molars rooted ; coronoid process of lower jaw, not reaching level of condyle ; ears overtopping the fur. EVOTOMYS, 5. cc. Molars rootless ; coronoid process as high as condyle ; ears more or less concealed. '. . . ARVICOLA, 6. tt Upper incisors grooved ; root of lower incisor ending abruptly opposite the last molar ; ears large. SYNAPTOMYS, 7. |H Tail scant -haired, vertically flattened; hind feet partly webbed ; size large FIBER, 8. /. MUS, Linnaeus. OLD WOULD RATS AND MICE. 1. M. decumanus, Pallas. BROWN or NORWAY RAT. Tail nearly an inch shorter than head and body, grayish brown above; paler below; feet dusty white; fur mixed with stiff hairs; cosmopolitan; introduced into America about 1775, and now the commonest species. 2. H. rattus, L. BLACK RAT. Tail not shorter than head and body; sooty black, plumbeous below; feet brown; introduced about 1544, but now being supplanted by the preceding. 3. M. alexandrinus, Geoff. ROOF RAT. WHITE - BELLIED RAT. Introduced in the Southern States. 4. M. musculus, L. COMMON HOUSE MOUSE. Cosmo politan; every where too well known. 2. NEOTOMA, Say. & Ord. WOOD RATS. 1. N. floridana, S. & O. WOOD RAT. Tail scantily hairy, scarcely as long as body without head; feet entirely white; L. 14; T. 6, or less. S. U. S., N. to Mass, and Ills. 3. HESPEffOMrS,Wsiterhouse. WHITE - FOOTED MICE. * Fur soft and glossy ; lower parts white ; soles naked, or slightly hairy; tail closely hairy ; ears large. (Vesperimus.} 1. H. leucopus, (Raf.) LeC. DEER MOUSE. WHITE- 32 MAMMALS. FOOTED MOUSE. Yellowish brown; tail distinctly bicolor, about as long as head and body; hind feet more than f inch. N. Am.; abundant. 2. H. michiganensis, (Aud. & Bach.) Wagner. MICHI GAN MOUSE. Tail little longer than body without head, bicolor; hind feet less than f- inch; dark brown; a darker dorsal band; L. 3, or less, to base of tail. Upper Miss. Valley to Mich., etc. 3. H. aureolus, (Aud. & Bach.) Wagner. RED MOUSE. Yellowish cinnamon, bright especially on ears; belly not pure white. Pa. to Ills., and S. ** Soles naked; tail scant-haired, about as long as head and body; ears small. (Oryzomys.} 4. H. palustris, (Harlaii) Baird. RICE -FIELD MOUSE. Blackish and ashy above, becoming paler below; fur harsh, but compact; a large rat -like species. S. States, N. to N. J. and Kas. 4. OCHETODON, Coues. HARVEST MICE. < Re&hrodon, Baird. 1. 0. humilis, (Aud. & Bach.) Coues. HARVEST MOUSE. Tail shorter than head and body; appearance decidedly mouse - like. U. S., southerly, N. to Iowa. 5. EVOTOMYS, Coues. LONG -EARED MICE. < Arvicola, Bd. 1. E. rufi/us (Pall.) var. gapperi, (Vigors) Coues. LONG- EARED MOUSE. Color chestnut ; ears prominent ; a brownish dorsal band; size of common mouse. North ern frontier, S. to Mass. 6. ARVICOLA, Lacepede. FIELD MICE. * Back upper molar with two external triangles and a posterior crescent; middle upper molar with two internal triangles; front lower molar with three internal and two or three lateral triangles; size large. (Myonomes.) SPALACOPODID^B. — XV. 33 1. A. riparius, Ord. MEADOW MOUSE. Fore claws not longer than hind claws; tail one-third length of head and body, or more. U. S.; generally abundant. ** Back upper molar with one exterior triangle and a posterior trefoil ; middle upper molar with one internal triangle ; front lower molar with two internal and one external triangle; fore claws not larger than hinder; fur ordinary; size medium. (Pedomys.} 2. A. austerus, LeC. Tail one-third length of head and body, or less. Western States, E. to Michigan. *** Teeth as in Pedomys; fore claws larger than hinder; fur dense, silky, mole-like ; size small. (Pitymys.) 3. A. pinetorum, LeC. PINE MOUSE. Tail about one- fourth length of head and body. E. U. S. 7. SYNAPTOMYS, Baird. COOPER'S MOUSE. 1. S. cooperi, Baird. Head short and heavy; fur soft and long. W. States, E. to Ind. 8. FIBER, Cuvier. MUSKRATS. 1. F. zibethicus, (L.) Cuv. MUSKRAT. MUSQUASH. A well - known aquatic animal, the largest of our Muridce. N. Am.; every where. FAMILY XV. — SPALACOPODIDJE. (The Porcupines.') Body more or less armed with spines. Molars rooted, j-;f-. Toes 4—5 in ours, sub -equal, with long, com pressed, curved claws; soles warty. Muzzle hairy; upper lip without a groove; chiefly arboreal; nearly all are South American. The above characters apply rather to the sub -family C ercolabince, to which our genus belongs, than to the whole family. 34 MAMMALS. /. ERETHIZON, F. Cuvier. AMERICAN PORCUPINES. 1. E. dorsatus, (L.) F. Cuvier. WHITE-HAIRED PORCU PINE. Dark brown, spines chiefly white. N. Am., S. to Mexico. • FAMILY XVI.— LEPORID^E. (The Hares) Incisors f, the extra pair in upper jaw small, and placed behind the principal pair, which are grooved in front; molars f:|. A single well-known genus, widely distributed. /. LEPUS, Linnaeus. HARES. * Fur white in winter. 1. L americanus, Erxleben. WHITE RABBIT. NORTH ERN HARE. Size large; hind feet longer than head; ears about equal to length of head; fur, in summer, cinnamon brown, in winter, becoming white at the surface, plumbeous at base, with a broad median band of reddish brown. Wooded districts, New England to Minn., and S. to Va., along the Alleganies. ** Fur never white. 2. L sylvaticus, Bachman. GRAY RABBIT. Size small; hind feet not longer than head; ears two-thirds length of head; gray above, varied with black, and more or less tinged with yellowish brown; below white. U. S. eastward; less northerly than the preceding. Two Southern species, L. palustris, Bach., the Marsh Rabbit, and L. aquations, Bach., the Water Rabbit, abound in S. Ills. (Nelson.) DIDELPHIDID.-E. — XVII. 35 OBDEE F.-MAESUPIALIA. (The Marsupials.) FAMILY XVII. — DIDELPHIDID^E. (The Opossums.) Marsupial mammals of small size, with the teeth i. {- :£, c. |:|, pm. }:|, m. f f. Feet five -toed, plantigrade, claws 5-4. Tail usually very long, nearly naked, covered by a scaly skin, with a few scattered hairs, prehensile. All the species are American. /. DIDELPHYS, Linnaeus. OPOSSUMS. 1. D. virg iniana, Shaw. COMMON OPOSSUM. Dirty white; legs dark; L. 35; T. 14. N. Y. to Rocky Moun tains, rather southerly; common. 36 BIRDS. 55, — (The Birds.) A Bird may be defined as an air - breathing vertebrate with a covering of feathers; warm blood; a complete double circulation; the two anterior limbs (wings) adapted for flying or swimming, the two posterior limbs (legs) adapted for walking or swimming; respiration never effected by gills or branchia?, but, after leaving the egg, by lungs which are connected with air cavities in various parts of the body. Reproduction by eggs, which are fertilized within the body and hatched externally, either by incubation or exposure to the heat of the sun; the shell calcareous, hard and brittle. Much more might be added, but the obvious distinction is this: — All Birds have feathers, and no other animal has feathers. The classification of this group, as of most others, is still in an unsettled condition. Strictly speaking, the existing members of the class are so closely related that they might, with propriety, be combined into one order, which, by Prof. Gill, has been named EURIIIPIDURA. At present, however, the term " order " may be applied to the groups so designated below, without thereby implying any such structural differences as exist between the " orders " of Reptiles or Fishes. We now proceed to an artificial key to the ORDERS OF BIRDS. * Toes 3 : two in front, one behind. . . . PICABLE, H. ** Toes 3 : all in front ; toes cleft or semipalmate. LIMICOL^, M. BIEDS. 37 *** Toes 4 : two in front, two behind. Bill cered and hooked. . . . PSITTACI, I. Bill lengthened, not cered nor hooked. PICARLE, H. **** Toes 4 : three in front, one behind. I. Toes not webbed at all, cleft to the base, or with the basal joints immovably coherent. a. Hmd toe inserted on a level with the rest and generally longer than the shortest anterior toe. &. Nostrils opening beneath a soft, swollen membrane ; head small ; tarsus reticulate behind. . COLOMBO, K. bb. Bill hooked and cered ; claws sharp and strong. RAPTORES, J. bbb. Secondaries very short, six in number ; bill very slender ; smallest of all birds. . . . PICAIII^E, H. bbbb. Claw of hind toe as long or longer than that of middle toe; wing coverts in about two series, not reaching half way to tips of secondaries; musical apparatus more or less highly developed. . PASSERES, G-. aa. Hind toe elevated above the level of the rest, and usually shorter than the others. c. Bill fissirostral — culmen very short, but gape very wide and deep, reaching to below eyes. . PICARLE, H. cc. Bill lengthened, not fissirostral. d. First primary emarginate, or else about as long as second. LIMICOL^E, M. dd. First primary not emarginate, much shorter than second ALECTORIDES, O. II. Toes syndactyle — without webbing, but with the outer and middle toes coherent half their length. . PICARLE, H. III. Toes semipalmate ; two or three of them joined at base only by evident movable webbing. e. Hind toe inserted on a level with the rest. /. Tibiae feathered below. g. Bill cered and hooked ; claws sharp and strong. RAPTORES, J. gg. Bill not cered and hooked ; nostrils opening beneath a soft, swollen membrane. . . COLUMB^E, K. 38 BIRDS. ff. Tibiae naked below. . . . HERODIONES, N. ee. Hind toe inserted above the level of the rest, and usually shorter than any of the others. Ti. Tibiae feathered below. *'. Nostrils perforate ; head more or less naked. RAPTORES, J. M. Nostrils imperforate. j. Bill flssirostral — gape wide, "reaching to below eye. PlCABLE, H. jj. Bill stout, not fissirostral ; nostrils scaled or feathered. GALLIN^E, L. Hh. Tibiae naked below. k. Nostrils perforate. . '. . ALECTORIDES, O. kk. Nostrils imperforate. I. Head bald ; tarsus reticulate. . HERODIONES, N. II. Head feathered ; tarsus usually scutellate. LIMICOI^E, M. IV. Toes lobate, webbed at base or not, but conspicuously bordered on sides by plain or scalloped membranes. m. Tail rudimentary; legs set far back. . PYGOPODES, S. mm. Tail perfect; a horny frontal shield. ALECTORIDES, O. mmm. Tail perfect ; forehead feathered, without horny shield. LIMICOL^E, M. V. Toes palmate ; three front toes full-webbed. n. Bill curved upwards ; legs elongated. . LIMICOL^E, M. nn. Bill lamellate, mostly flattish and furnished at tip with a decurved nail. . . . LAMELLIROSTRES, P. nnn. Bill not recurved nor lamellate. o. Hind toe not lobate ; wings long and pointed ; tail well developed. . . . . LONGDPENNES, R. oo. Hind toe lobata; wings and tail short. PYGOPODES, S. VI. Toes totipalmate ; all four full-webbed. STEGANOPODES, Q. G. FAMILIES OF PASSERES. I. Oscines. Each side of tarsus covered with a plate, undivided in most of its length and meeting its fellow in a sharp ridge BIRDS, 39 behind ( in a few cases, back of tarsus without ridge, and formed of a few scutella? distinct from those lapping over the front ) ; first primary short, spurious or wanting, if present, not more than two-thirds of the longest ; musical apparatus highly developed. * Primaries 10 ; the first short or spurious. f Tarsus booted ; rictus with bristles. a. Middle toe quite free from inner ; birds of moderate size, length more than 6. b. Wings moderate, not reaching when folded beyond the middle of tail, and not more than one-third longer than tail ; tip of wing formed by 3d to 6th quill ; no blue TURDID^, 18. lib. Wings very long, pointed, reaching beyond middle of tail, and more than half longer; tip of wing formed by 2d to 4th quills ; ours chiefly blue. SAXICOLID^E, 19. aa. Middle and inner toes connected at base ; small, length less than 5 . SYLVIID.E, 20. ff Tarsus scutellate in front. c. Nostrils concealed by tufts of antrorse, bristly feathers. d. First primary not more than half length of second ; bill not notched ; length less than 8. e. Bill as long as head ; wings pointed, much longer than tail. . . . . . . SITTID^:, 22. ee. Bill much shorter than head ; wings about as long as tail PARID/E, 21. dd. First primary more than half length of second ; bill usually notched, the bristly nasal feathers branched to their tips ; large, length more than 8. CORVID^, 35. cc. Nostrils exposed (rarely slightly overhung). /. Bill distinctly notched near its tip, often hooked. g. Tail longer than wings ; general color gray or ashy- brown. h. Bill very stout, compressed, strongly notched, toothed and abruptly hooked at tip ; large, length 8 to 9. LANIID,E, 32. M. Bill more slender, not deeply notched nor abruptly hooked ; length 8 to 10. . . TUKDID.E, 18. 40 BIRDS. hhh. Bill very slender, not strongly notched nor hooked ; small, length 4 to 5. . . SYLVIID^, 20. gg. Tail shorter than wings ; general color olivaceous ; bill stout, notched and hooked ; length 4| to 6i. VIREONID^E, 31. ff. Bill not at all notched. i. Rictus with bristles ; quills not barred, the tail longer than wings ; large, length 9 or more. TURDID^, 18. ii. No rictal bristles ; wings and tail barred or undulated, usually about equal in length, the latter of rounded feathers ; small, length 6 or less. TROGLODYTID^E, 24. in. No rictal bristles ; tail about as long as wings, scan- sorial, — its feathers rigid and acute, not barred; bill long, decurved ; length 5 to 6. . CERTITUDE, 23. ** Primaries 9 ; the first about as long as second. \ Bill fissirostral, — triangular, depressed, about as wide at base as long; its wide, deep gape twice as long as the culmen, reaching to opposite the eyes; no rictal bristles; wings very long and pointed. . . . HIRUNDINID/E, 29. \\ Bill tanagrine, — stout, conic, its outlines convex, the tomia with one or more lobes or nicks near the middle; nostrils very high ; plumage brilliant, chiefly red ($) or yellow (?). TANAGRID/E, 28. \\\ Bill conirostral, — stout at base, and more or less conic; nostrils high up ; tomia more or less evidently angulated near the base (i. e., " corners of mouth drawn downward." ) j. Bill truly conic, much shorter than the head, usually notched at tip, or with bristles at the rictus. FRTNGILLTD/E, 33. jj. Bill conic, but lengthened more or less, about as long as head (except in Dolichonyx and Molothrus, the Bob-o- link and Cowbird) ; no notch at the tip or bristles at the rictus. . ICTERTD^E, 34. \\\\ Bill not as above, with the tomia straight, or very gently curved. Tc. Conspicuously crested; bill triangular, depressed, notched, and hooked; tail tipped with yellow; secondaries (in full plumage) with red, horny tips. . AMPELID^E, 30. BIRDS. 41 Kk. Nostrils concealed by bristly feathers •, tarsus scutellate behind; hind claw long and nearly straight; inner secondaries lengthened. . . . ALAUDID^E, 25. kKG. No crest; nostrils exposed; tarsus strictly " oscine." I. Hind claw much elongated, twice as long as middle claw, with its toe much longer than middle toe and claw; bill very slender; longest secondary nearly equal to primaries in closed wing. . MOTACILLID^E, 26. II. Hind claw not specially elongated, not twice as long as middle claw ; inner secondaries not lengthened. m. Bill stout, compressed, notched, and abruptly hooked at tip; general color olivaceous, tail not blotched with white or yellow. . . VIREONID^, 31. mm. Bill various, notched or not, but little, if at all, hooked ; colors often brilliant. SYLVICOLID^E, 27. II. Clamatores. Outside of tarsus covered with a series of plates variously arranged, lapping entirely around in front and behind to meet in a groove on the inner side ; primaries 10. n. First primary lengthened, often longest, always more than f length of the longest; bill broad, depressed, tapering to a point which is abruptly hooked ; rictal bristles numerous; nostrils overhung but not concealed ; tail not tipped with yellow. .... TYBANNID^:, 36. H, FAMILIES OF PICARI^E. I. Feet zygodactyle (two toes in front, two behind) by reversion of outer toe ; ( hallux wanting in Picoides.) a. Tail scansorial, of 12 rigid, acuminate feathers, of which the outer pair are short and concealed; bill stout and straight; nasal tufts usually developed. . . . PICID^E, 42. aa. Tail not scansorial, of 8 to 10 long, soft feathers ; bill de- curved; no nasal tufts CDCULID^E, 41. II. Feet syndactyle, by cohesion of outer and middle toes ; tibiae naked below ; bill stout and straight, longer than head. ALCEDINID.E, 40. III. Feet neither zygodactyle nor syndactyle; wings long and pointed. 42 BIBDS. b. Bill tentiirostral, very slender, much longer than head ; secon daries very short, 6 in number; plumage compact. TROCHILID^E, 39. bb. Bill flssirostral, much shorter than head ; secondaries more than 6. c. Rictal bristles present; middle claw pectinate; plumage lax, variegated ; length 8 or more. CAPIUMULGID^E, 37. cc. No rictal bristles ; plumage compact, of blended colors ; tail leathers (in ours) spiuous ; length 6 or less. CYPSELID.E, 38. I. FAMILIES OF PSITTACI. I. Cere feathered, concealing the nostrils; plumage coarse and dry, chiefly green ARID^E, 43. J. FAMILIES OF RAPTORES. I. Hind toe on a level with the rest, more than half length of outer toe, and with a large claw; claws strong, sharp, much curved; nostrils imperforate ; head mostly feathered; bill strongly hooked. a. Eyes directed forwards in consequence of the great lateral expansion of the cranium, and surrounded by a disk of radiating bristly feathers. . . . STRIGID^E, 44. aa. Eyes lateral ; no complete facial disk. . FALCONHLE, 45. II. Hind toe elevated, not more than half length of outer toe; claws weak and little curved; nostrils perforate; head mostly naked ; bill little hooked. . . . CATHARTID/E, 46. K. FAMILIES OF COLUMB.E. I. Head small, feathered (except sometimes a circumorbital ring); feathers loosely inserted, . . . COLUMBIIXE, 47. L. FAMILIES OF GALLING. I. Head unfeathered, with wattles and caruncles ; a tuft of bristly feathers on breast; tarsus spurred in <$; plumage iridescent; large, 36 or more. .... MELEAGRID^E, 48. II. Head feathered ; plumage not iridescent ; size much smaller, BIRDS. 43 Tarsus partly or entirely feathered, as is also the nasal groove ; sides of neck usually with bare skin or pecul iar feathers ..... TETRAONIDJE, 49. Tarsus and nasal groove unfeathered ; no peculiar feathers on neck ....... PEKDICID^, 50. M. FAMILIES OF LIMICOL^E. I. Toes lobate ; tarsus notably compressed ; body depressed. PHALAROPODID.E, 54. II. Toes not lobate ; tarsus not specially compressed. * Legs exceedingly long ; tarsus as long as tail ; bill much longer than head, slender, acute, and curved upwards ; feet 4-toed and palmate, or 3-toed and semipalmate. RECURVIROSTRID,E, 53. ** Bill usually shorter than head, pigeon-like, the broad, soft base separated by a constriction from the hard tip ; head sub-globose, on a short neck; tarsus reticulate; toes 3 (except in Squatarola). . . . CHARADRIHXE, 51. *** Bill usually longer than head, mostly grooved, not con stricted, softish to its tip ; tarsus scutellate ; toes 4 (except in Calidris) ...... SCOLOPACIIXS:, 55. **** Not as above; bill hard, either compressed and truncate, or acute; feet 4-toed and cleft, or 3-toed and semipalmate. H^EMATOPODHXE, 52. N. FAMILIES OF HERODIONES. I. Bill long, straight, acute ; middle claw pectinate. ARDEHXE, 56. II. Bill curved downwards, or else flat and spoon-shaped. TANTALHXE, 57. 0. FAMILIES OF ALECTORIDES. I. Very large ; length 36 or more, with excessively long neck and legs ; toes shorter than tarsus ; bill contracted at "the middle. II. Smaller, length 18 or less, with comparatively short neck and legs ; toes as long as tarsus ; bill not contracted. RALLID^E, 59. 44 BIRDS. P. FAMILIES OF LAMELLIROSTRES. I. Neck and legs moderate ; tibiae feathered ; bill not decurvcd. ANATID^E, 60. Q. FAMILIES OF STEGANOPODES. I. Bill longer than tail, many times longer than head, with the gular pouch enormous ; wings long. . PELECANID^, 61. II. Bill about as long as head, shorter than tail, which is fan- shaped, of rigid feathers ; wings short. PHALACROCORACID^, 62. R. FAMILIES OF LOKGIPENNES. I. Nostrils not tubular, perforate ; bill with a continuous covering. 63. S. FAMILIES OF PYGOPODES. L Feet palmate ; tail developed ; head closely feathered. COLYMBID^E, 64. II. Feetlobate; tail undeveloped ; head usually with naked loral strip and peculiar feathers. . . . PODICIPIIXE, 65. OEDEE G.-PASSEEES. ( Passerine Birds.) Toes always 4; feet fitted for perching; the hind toe always on a level with the rest, its claw at least as long as that of middle toe, and often much longer; joints of toes respectively 2, 3, 4, 5, from first to fourth; toes never versatile; wing coverts comparatively few, chiefly in two series. Tail feathers 12, primaries 9 or 10. Musical apparatus more or less developed. Sternum of a certain uniform pattern. Nature altricial. This group comprises the great majority of all Birds, and they represent the " highest grade of development, and the most complex organization of the class; their TUKDID^E. — XVIH. 45 V high physical irritability is co-ordinate with the rapidity of their respiration arid circulation; they consume the most oxygen and live the fastest of all birds." (Coues.) FAMILY XVIIL— TURDHLE. (The TJirusJies.) Primaries 10, the first short or spurious; bill generally rather long, not conical, usually with a slight notch near the tip ; nostrils oval, not concealed, but nearly or quite reached by the bristly frontal feathers; rictus with bristles, which are well developed in most of our species; tarsus in typical species, "booted," i. e., enveloped in a continuous plate, formed by the fusion of all the scutellae except two or three of the lowest; in other species dis tinctly scutellate. Toes deeply cleft, the inner one free, the outer united to the middle one, not more than half the length of the first basal joint. A large family of more than two hundred species, found in most parts of the world, and embracing quite a wide variety of forms. Nearly all of them are remark able for their vocal powers. Their food consists of insects and soft fruits. Our species fall into three strongly marked sub-families, of which the Miminw have been often associated with the Wrens, and the Myiadestince, with the Wax Wings. I. The TURBINE, or Typical Thrushes, have the tarsus booted, the first primary spurious, and the wings longer than the tail. They build rather rude nests, sometimes plastered with mud, and they lay four to six greenish or bluish eggs, either plain or speckled. All sing well, and some of them most exquisitely. Our species are usually referred to the typical genus, Turdus, but we have here separated the Wood Thrushes, as a group of full generic 46 BIRDS. value (Jfylocic/ila)) as suggested by Prof. Baird. (Hist. N, Am. Birds, page 4.) II. The MIMIN^E, or Mocking Thrushes, have the tarsus scutellate (sometimes booted in Galeoscoptes), the first primary scarcely spurious; the rictal bristles better developed, and the tail relatively longer, in our species longer than the wings. These birds have a brilliant and varied song, but all of them are plainly clad. All are American. III. MYIADESTIIS^E, the Fly-Catching Thrushes, have been usually associated with the A.?npelidce^ but their affinities are rather with the thrushes, as Prof. Baird has shown. All are American, — the single species within our limits is a rare straggler from the West. * Tarsus booted ; wings longer than tail. ( TURDLISLE.) f Breast spotted ; length 8i, or less. . . HYLOCICHLA, 1. |f Breast unspotted ; ( in ours) reddish or banded with black ; length 9|, or more. ... . . TUIIDUS, 2. ** Tarsus scutellate in front (scutell a rarely obsolete) ; wings (in ours) shorter than tail. ( MIMING.) \ Bill about as long as head, sometimes much longer, straight or curved, not notched. . . HARPOIIHYNCIIUS, 3. \\ Bill much shorter than head, notched at tip. a. Tarsus distinctly scutellate ; ours ashy, with black and white. . . . ' . . . . Mi]vrus, 4. aa. Tarsus feebly scutellate ; plumage lead-colored ; crissum chestnut-red GALEOSCOPTES, 5. *** Tarsus booted ; wings about equal to tail ; bill short, much depressed, notched and hooked ; color ashy. (MYIADESTIN.E.) MYIADESTES, 6. /. HYLOCICHLA, Baird. WOOD THRUSHES. < Turdus, Linn. 1. H. mustelina, (Gm.) Bd. WOOD THKTTSH. Cinnamon brown, brightest on the head, shading into olive on the TUKDID^E. — XVIH. 47 rump; breast with large, very distinct dusky spots; L. 8; W. 4i; T. 3. E. U. S., in woodland; our largest and handsomest thrush. An exquisite songster. 2. H. pallasi, (Cab.) Bd. HERMIT THRUSH. Olive brown above, becoming rufous on rump and tail; «breast with numerous, rather distinct, dusky spots; a whitish orbital ring; L. 7; W. 3J; T. &J-. N. Am., migrating early. 3. H. swainsoni, (Cab.) Bd. OLIVE -BACKED THRUSH. SWAINSON'S THRUSH. Uniform olive above; breast and throat thickly marked with large, dusky olive spots; breast and sides of head strongly buffy- tinted; a con spicuous buffy orbital ring; L. 7J; W. 4; T. 3. N. Am. 4. H. alicia, Baird. GRAY CHEEKED THRUSH. ALICE THRUSH. Similar to the preceding, of which it is probably a variety, but without ring about eye, or any buffy tint about head. E. N. Am., ranging more northerly. 5. H. fuscescens, (Steph.) Bd. TAWNY THRUSH. WILSON'S THRUSH. VEERY. Uniform tawny above; breast and throat washed , with brownish or pinkish yellow, and marked with small indistinct brownish spots; L. ?£; W. 4i; T. 3f E. N. Am., frequent, a fine songster. 2. TURDUSr Linnaeus. THRUSHES. * Sexes similar; breast not spotted nor banded; throat streaked; bill notched. (Planesticus, Bon.) 1. T. migratorius, L. ROBIN. AMERICAN RED BREAST. Olive gray above; head and tail blackish; throat white, with black streaks; under parts chestnut brown; L. 9f ; W. 5£; T. 4£. N. Am., abundant. ** Sexes unlike ; throat unstreaked ; male with a black collar; bill not notched. (Hesperociclda, Bd.) 48 BIRDS. 2. T. ncBvius, Gm. OREGON ROBIN. VARIED THRUSH. Slate color, orange brown below; L. 9f; W. 5; T. 4. Pacific slope, accidental in Mass., N. J., and L. I. 3. HARPORHYNCHUS, Cabanis. MOCKING THRUSHES. 1. H. rufus, (L.) Cab. BROWN THRUSH. SANDY MOCKING BIRD. THRASHER. Cinnamon red above; lower parts thickly spotted; bill nearly straight, shorter and much less curved than in many other Sarporhynchi^ five species of which occur in the U. S. beyond the Rocky Mountains; L. 11; W. 4; T. 5±. E. U. S., abundant. A brilliant songster. 4. MIMUS, Boie. MOCKING BIRDS. 1. M. polyglottus, (L.) Boie. MOCKINGBIRD. Ashy brown above; wings blackish, wTith white wing bars; tail blackish, outer feathers white; L. 9J; W. 4J; T. 5. U. S., chiefly southerly; N. to Mass., Iowa, etc. A renowned songster. 5. GALEOSCOPTES, Cabanis. CAT BIRDS. < Mimus, Boie. 1. G. carolinensis, (L.) Cab. CAT BIRD. Dark slate color; crown and tail black; crissum brownish chestnut; L. 8|; W. 3J; T. 4. U. S., every where. 6. MYIADESTES, Swainson. FLY - CATCHING THRUSHES. 1. M. townsendi, (Aud.) Cab. TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE. Ashy gray, paler below; wing bands buffy; tail blackish; whitish ring about eye; young with reddish spots; L,. 8; W. 4J; T. 4£. Rocky Mountains and westward, straying E. to Cliicago. (Nelson.) An exquisite songster. SYLVILD^E. — XX. 49 FAMILY XIX. — SAXICOLUXE. (The Stone Chats.) Characters similar to those of the Thrushes, but the wings longer and very much pointed, reaching, when folded, beyond the middle of the short tail. Tarsus "booted;" first primary spurious. A family scarcely distinct from Turdidce, of about twelve genera and one hundred species. They are chiefly Old World birds, but two genera occurring in America. Ours are rather small (less than seven), with oval nostrils and bristles about the rictus. * Chiefly or partly blue ; tarsus not longer than middle toe and claw; bill stout SIALIA, 1. /. SIALIA, Swainson. BLUE BIRDS. 1. 5, sialis, (L.) Haldeman. COMMON BLUE BIRD. Bright blue above, throat and breast reddish brown, belly white; $ usually duller with a brownish tinge on. back; young, as in others, spotted; L. Of; W. 4; T. 3. E. N. Am., abundant; breeds every where. 2. S. mexicana, Sw. WESTERN BLUE BIRD. Head, neck all around and upper parts generally, blue; back with more or less chestnut; breast and sides reddish brown, otherwise bluish below; size of last. Pacific Slope, E. to Iowa (accidental.) 3. 5. arctica, Sw. ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLUE BIRD. Rich greenish blue; belly white; $ with pale drab, instead of blue, on breast, etc.; size of others, or smaller. Central Table lands chiefly, E. to Missouri R. FAMILY XX. — SYLVIID^E. (The Sylvias.) Primaries 10, the first short but scarcely spurious. Bill slender, depressed at base, notched and decurved at 3 50 BIEDS. tip. Rictal bristles conspicuous; nostrils oval, over hung by a few bristles or a feather. Tarsus booted or scutellate. Basal joint of middle toe attached its whole length externally, half way internally. A large family of nearly six hundred species of small birds, chiefly of the Old World, where they take the place filled in America by the Sylvicolidw. To this family belongs the European nightingale. Our species fall into two sub - families, RegulincB and JPolioptilincB, each repre sented by its typical genus. * Tarsus booted; wings longer than tail. . . REGULUS, 1. ** Tarsus scutellate ; wings not longer than tail. POLIOPTILA, 2. /. REGULUS, Cuvier. KINGLETS. 1. R. satrapa, Licht. GOLDEN - CROWNED KINGLET. Olivaceous; crown with a yellow patch, bordered with black, orange red in the center in $• extreme fore head and line over eye, whitish; vague dusky blotch at base of secondaries; a tiny feather over each nostril; L. 4; W. 2±; T. If. N. Am. 2. R. calendula, (L.) Licht. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. Olivaceous; crown with a scarlet patch in both sexes, wanting the first year; no black about head; no nasal feather; L. 4±; W. % T. If. N. Am. 2. POLIOPTILA, Sclater. GNAT CATCHERS. 1. P. ccerulea, (L.) Sclater. BLUE -GRAY GNAT CATCHER. Clear ashy blue, brightest on head; whitish below; $ with forehead and sides of crown black; outer tail feathers chiefly white; L. 4£; W. 2; T. BJ. U. S., chiefly southerly; N. to Mass, and L. Mich. Noticeable for its sprightly ways and squeaky voice, " like a mouse with the toothache; " but really a fine singer. . — XXI. 51 FAMILY XXL — PARID2E. (The Titmice.) Primaries 10, first short; wings rounded; not longer than the rounded tail. Bill much shorter than head, not notched nor decurved at the tip; loral feathers bristly, and nostrils concealed by dense tufts. Tarsus scutellate, longer than middle toe and claw. Toes much soldered at base, widened beneath into a sort of palm. Plumage lax, little variable. Small birds, less than seven inches long, resembling the Jays in several respects, restless, noisy, and scarcely migratory. Species seventy-five or more, chiefly of the Northern hemisphere, and abounding in both continents. * Conspicuously crested ; chiefly lead gray, paler below. LOPHOPHANES, 1. ** Not crested ; crown, chin and throat black or brown. PAIIUS, 2. /. LOPHOPHANES, Kaup. TUFTED TITMICE. 1. L bicolor, (L.) Bon. TUFTED TITMOUSE. Fore head alone black; whitish below; sides washed with reddish; L. 6i; W. 3J; T. 3J. E. U. S., southerly; N. to L. I. and L. Mich.; abundant in woodland and remarkable for its loud, ringing notes. Three other species occur in the S. W. 2. PARUS, Linnaeus. CHICKADEES. 1. P. atricapillus, L. TITMOUSE. BLACK -CAPPED CHICKADEE. Grayish ash; wings and tail plain with whitish edging; crown, nape, chin and throat black; no white superciliary line; L. 5; W. 2^; T. 2J. N. Am.; abundant. Var. caro/inensfe, (Aud.) Coues. SOUTHERN CHICKA DEE. Smaller; tail feathers not noticeably white-edged. E. U. S.; southerly. 52 BIRDS. 2. P. hudsonicus, Forster. HUDSONIAN CHICKADEE. Olive brown; crown browner; some pale chestnut below; a white superciliary line; L. 5; W. 2£; T. 2f. British America; S. to Mass. FAMILY XXII. — SITTHLE. (The Nuthatches.) Primaries 10, the first spurious. Wings long and pointed, much longer than the broad soft tail. Bill not notched, rather slender, straight, nearly as long as head. Loral feathers bristly; nostrils concealed by dense tufts. Tarsus scutellate, shorter than middle toe and claw. Tongue acute, barbed. Body depressed; plumage lax, but less so than that of the Titmice. Active, nimble little birds, running up and down trees, and hanging in every conceivable attitude, the head down as often • as up. Species twenty-five or thirty, in most parts of the world. /. SITTA, Linnreus. NUTHATCHES. 1. S. carolinensis, Gm. WHITE - BELLIED NUTHATCH. " SAP SUCKER." Ashy blue above, white below; crissum, etc., washed with rusty brown; crown and nape black, unstriped; midd a tail feathers like the back, others black, blotched with white; $ with less or no black on the head; L. 5£; W. 3J; T. 2. U. S.; abundant every where. 2. S. canadensis, L. RED - BELLIED NUTHATCH. Ashy blue, brighter than the preceding, rusty brown below; crown glossy black (^), or bluish ($), bordered by white and black stripes; L. 4J; W. 2f ; T. If U. S., and northward. 3. S. pus///a, Lath. BROWN -HEADED NUTHATCH. Ashy blue; crown clear brown, a whitish spot on nape; TEOGLODYTID^B. — XXIV. 53 pale rusty below. L. 4; W. &J; T. 1|> South Atlantic States. FAMILY XXIIL— CERTHIIOE. (Creepers.} Primaries 10, first less than half second. Bill slender, as long as head; without notch or bristles, decurved. Tarsus scutellate, shorter than middle toe. Claws all very long, curved and compressed. Wings about as long as tail; tail feathers pointed, with stiffened shafts, almost wood - pecker like, and used for support in the same way. A small family of a dozen species, widely distributed. Habits similar to those of the Nuthatches, but the. voice different, being small and fine. (The above diagnosis does not strictly apply to some foreign birds usually placed in this family.) /. CERTHIA, Linnaeus. BROWN CREEPERS. 1. C. familiaris, Linn. BROWN CREEPER. Plumage dark brown, much barred and streaked; rump clear tawny; L. 5|; W. 2f ; T. 2f. N. Am. and Europe. A curious little bird, recognizable at once by the scansorial tail. FAMILY XXIV. — TROGLODYTID^E. ( The Wrens.) Primaries 10, the first short but hardly spurious. Wings rounded, usually about as long as the graduated tail. Bill more or less slender, usually elongated, not notched in any of our species. Nostrils oval, unbristled, overhung by a scale -like membrane. No rictal bristles. Loral feathers bristly. Tarsus scutellate. Lateral toes nearly equal ; middle toe usually united to half the basal joint of inner toe, and to the whole of the basal joint of the outer, or more. Quills barred in most of our species. 54 BIRDS. A large family of small birds, chiefly belonging" to Tropical America. Genera about sixteen; species one hundred or more. " Our species are sprightly, fearless and impudent little creatures, apt to show bad temper when they fancy themselves aggrieved by cats or people, or any thing else that is big or unpleasant to them; they quarrel a good deal, and are particularly spiteful towards martins and swallows, whose homes they often invade and occupy. Their song is bright and hearty, and they are fond of their own music; when disturbed at it they make a great ado with noisy scolding. Part of them (Cistothorus) live in reedy swamps and marshes, where they hang astonishingly big globular nests, with a little hole on one side, on tufts of rushes, and lay six or eight dark colored eggs; the others nest any where." (Dr. Coues.) They are all plainly colored, behig chiefly brown. All are insectivorous, and most of them migratory. * Back nearly uniform in color, a conspicuous white superciliary line; outstretched feet falling far short of end of tail. THRYOTHDUUS, 1. ** Back barred crosswise, sometimes obscurely so ; no conspicu ous superciliary line; bill shorter than head; hind claw shorter than toe. f Tail about as long as wings. . . . TROGLODYTES, 2. ff Tail much shorter than wings. . . ANORTHURA, 3. *** Back streaked lengthwise, at least on shoulders; hind claw as long as the toe ; tail barred. . . CISTOTHORUS, 4. /. THRYOTHORUS,Viz\\\ot. MOCKING WEENS. * Tail not longer than wings, its feathers reddish brown with fine black bars. ( Thryothorus.) 1. T. ludovicianus, (Gm.) Bon. CAROLINA WREN. Clear reddish brown, brightest on rump; tawny below; TROGLODYTES. — XXIV. 55 L. 6; W. 2J; T. 2£. E. U. S., southerly; N. to Penn.; not migratory. A remarkable singer. ** Tail longer than wings, its feathers mostly black. (Thryomanes) 2. T. be wick/if (Aud.) Bon. BEWICK'S WREN. Grayish brown; two middle tail feathers barred; L. 5£; W. 2£; T. 2|-. U. S., southerly; N. to Penn. 2. TROGLODYTES,V\zi\\oi. WRENS. 1. T. aedon, Vieill. HOUSE WREN. Brown, brightest behind; rusty below; every where more or less waved with darker, distinctly so on wings, tail, etc.; L. 5; W. 2; T. 2. E. U. S.; abundant every where; very variable. < T. domesticuS) (Bart.) Coues. 3. A NORTH UR A, Rennie. WINTER WRENS. 1. A. troglodytes, (L.) Coues. WINTER WREN. Deep brown, waved with dusky; belly, wings and tail strongly barred; L. 4; W. If; T, 1±. N. Am., northerly; U. S., in winter, riot common. ( T. liyemalis, Vieill.) 4. £/$r077/0/?£/S, Cabanis. MARSH WRENS. * Bill about half as long as head ; no white superciliary line. (Cistothorus.) 1. C. stellaris, (Licht.) Cab. SHORT -BILLED MARSH WREN. Dark brown, head and back darker; entire upper parts with white streaks; L. 4J-; W. If; T. If. E. U. S., in marshes; rather rare. ** Bill slender, about as long as head ; a conspicuous white super ciliary line. (Telmatodytes, Cab.) 2. C. palustris, (Wilson) Baird. LONG - BILLED MARSH WREN. Clear brown; back with a black patch contain ing white streaks; otherwise unstreaked above; crown blackish; rump brown; L. 5; W. 2; T. If. U. S.; abundant in reedy swamps. 56 BIKDS. FAMILY XXV. — ALAUDID^E. (The Larks.) First primary very short or entirely wanting. Tarsus scutellate in front and behind (a character singular among Oscines.) Bill short, of various forms in different species; nostrils concealed by tufts of antrorse feathers. Hind claw very long and nearly straight. Inner secon daries lengthened and flowing. A group of about one hundred species, chiefly Old World birds, but a single genus belonging to America; many of them are renowned as vocalists. * Primaries 0; a little tuft of lengthened black feathers over each ear (sometimes obscure in $.) ,~ . . EUEMOPHILA, 1. /. EREMOPHILA, Boie. HORNED LARKS. = Otocorys, Bonap. 1. E. alpestris, (Forst.) Boie. SHORE LARK. Pinkish brown, thickly streaked; a crescent on breast and strip under eye black; white below; chin, throat, and line over eye more or less yellow; $ with less black; winter birds grayish, with the markings more obscure; L. 7£; W. 44; T. 3. N. Am. and Europe; common. A pleasant singer. \E. cornuta, (Wilson) Boie.] FAMILY XXVI. — MOTACILLID^E. (The Wagtail*.) Primaries 9, first about as long as second; inner secondaries enlarged, the longest one about as long as the primaries in the closed wing. Bill shorter than the head, very slender, straight, acute, notched at tip. Feet large, fitted for walking; hind claw long and nearly straight, inner toe cleft; basal joint of outer toe united with middle one. Rictal bristles not conspicuous; nostrils exposed. BYLVICOLIDufE. — XXVII. 57 A group of about one hundred species, mostly of the Old World, connecting the Alaudidce with the Sylvi- colidce. Most of them are terrestrial. They have a habit (shared by various others) of moving the tail up and down, as if " balancing themselves on unsteady footing;" hence the name "Wagtail." * Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw; outstretched feet falling much short of end of tail. . . . ANTHUS, 1. /. ANTHUS, Bechsteiri. TITLARKS. 1. A. ludovicianus, (Gm.) Licht. BROWN LARK. TIT LARK. PIPIT. Dark brown, slightly streaked; superciliary line and under parts buffy; breast and sides streaked; outer tail feathers more or less white; L. 6^; W. 3£; T. 3. N. Am.; generally abundant. (The Missouri Sky lark, N~eocorys spraguei, is a near relative.) FAMILY XXVII. — SYLVICOLID^E (The Warblers) Primaries 9; inner secondaries not enlarged, nor the hind toe long and straight, as in Alaudidce and Motacil- lidce. Bill usually rather slender, notched or not; the commissure not angulated at base, as in FrinffUHdoB^ nor toothed in the middle, as in our Tanagrida}; the end not notched and abruptly hooked, as in Vireonidcp, and Laniidcv; the gape not broad and reaching to the eyes, as in Hirundinidae. Our warblers are small birds; all (except Icteria which may not belong here) are less than six and a half inches in length, and very many are less than five. The rictus is generally bristled, but in several of our genera it is not. The colors are usually brilliant and variegated, but the sexes are unlike, and the variations due to age and season are great, so that the study of the species is 58 BIRDS. often very difficult. Many of the Warblers are pleasing songsters, but none exhibit any remarkable powers in that line. All are insectivorous and migratory. This family consists of more than a hundred species, chiefly North American, and embraces quite a wide variety, so that the group can perhaps be only distin guished negatively. The SylvicolidcB grade perfectly into the Tanagridce and Coerelidce, and probably the three families, and perhaps the FringilHdcK, also, should be merged into one. Our species are divisible into three very distinct sub - families, indicated below. I. Bill slender, not hooked, as high as wide at base, with short bristles not reaching much beyond nostrils, or none; wings longer than tail (except Geothlypis) ; length 6| or less. True "Warblers. (SYLVICOLIK£. E. U. S.; an elegant species, not uncommon in woodland. 3. D. coronata, (L.) Gray. YELLOW - RUM FED WARB - LER. MYRTLE WARBLER. Bluish ash above, streaked with black; white below with large blackish streaks; crown patch, rump and sides of breast bright yellow, there being four definite yellow places; $ and young brownish, with less yellcrtv on breast and head; L. 5|; W. 3; T. 2J. U. S., very abundant. The earliest migrant. 4. D. maculosa, (Gm.) Bd. BLACK AND YELLOW WARBLER. MAGNOLIA WARBLER. Back black, with olive skirtings; rump yellow; head clear ash; a white stripe behind eye; sides of head black, under parts (except the white crissum) rich yellow, with black streaks which are confluent on breast; $ similar, more olivaceous, with much less black; L. 5; W. 2J; T. 2±. E. U. S. A brilliant little bird, common in woodlands. 5. D. cceru/ea, (Wils.) Bd. CERULEAN WARBLER. Bright blue with black streaks; white below; breast and sides with bluish lines; $ not streaked, greenish above, slightly yellowish below; L. 4J; W. 2£; T. 2. E. U. S.; N. to Niagara Falls; rather rare. A dainty species. SYLVICOLID.E. — XXVII. 65 6. D. pennsylvanica, (L.) Bel. CHESTNUT - SIDED WARBLER. Blackish above ; much streaked ; crown clear yellow; black patch about eye; pure white below; a line of bright chestnut streaks along sides; wing patch yellowish (never clear white); $ similar but with less chestnut and black; L. 5; W. 2J; T. Z±. E. U. S.; abundant, especially northward. A pretty species. 7. D. castanea, (Wils.) Bd. BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. AUTUMN WARBLER. Back black and olive; thickly streaked; forehead and sides of head black enclosing a deep chestnut crown patch; chin, throat and sides, dull chestnut, otherwise pale buffy below; $ more olivaceous with less chestnut; young scarcely distinguishable from striata; L. 5; W. 8; T. 2-|. E. U. S. Not very common. S. D. striafa, (Forst.) Bd. BLACK-POLL WARBLER. Black and olivaceous, almost every where streaked ; whole crown pure black; $ more olivaceous, slightly yellowish below; rather large; L. 5|; W. 3; T. 2±. E. U. S.; the last to migrate. "When the Black -Polls appear in force, the collecting season is about over," (Cones.) 9. D. blackburnicB, (Gm.-) Bd. ORANGE - THROATED WARBLER. BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. HEMLOCK WARBLER. Black above with whitish streaks; crown patch, superciliary line, sides of neck and the whole throat brilliant orange or flame color, fading into yellow ish on the belly; $ similar, but olive and bright yellow instead of black and orange; L. 5^; W. 2f; T, 2£. E. U. S.; abundant among the tree-tops. The most brilliant species. 10. D. dominion, (L.) Bd. YELLOW-THROATED WARB LER. Ashy blue; throat bright yellow; belly white; cheeks black ; superciliary line white or yellowish in front; L. 5; W. 2f : T. 2£. Southern States; N. to 66 BIRDS. Penn., Central Indiana and Kansas; rare northward. A neat, plain species, with the habits of a creeper. 11. D. kirtlandi, Bd. KIRTLAND'S WARBLER. Ashy blue above; yellow and streaked below; lores black; L. 5J-; W. 2f; T. 2f. Ohio and the Bahamas. Two or three specimens known. 12. D. discolor, (Vieill.) Bd. PRAIRIE WARBLER. Olive yellow; back with a patch of red spots; forehead, superciliary line, wing bars and under parts bright yellow; streaked below; sides of head with black; $ similar; L. 4J; W. 2£; T. 2. E. U. S., N. to Mass, and Ills.; chiefly in evergreen thickets. An elegant species. 13. D. virens, (Gm.) Bd. BLACK - THROATED GREEN WARBLER. Clear yellow olive; sides of head rich yellow; whole throat and breast jet black, the color extending along the sides; otherwise whitish below; $ and winter birds with the black interrupted or veiled with yellowish; L. 5; W. 2}; T. 2J. E. U. S.; abundant. 14. D. pinus, (Wils.) Bd. PINE-CREEPING WARBLER. Yellow olive above; under parts and superciliary line yellow; no sharp markings any where; ? more grayish; L. 5f; W. 3; T. 2£. E. U. S., N. to Mass, and L. Superior; abundant in evergreen forests. 15. D. palmarum, (Gm.) Bd. YELLOW RED- POLL WARBLER. PALM WARBLER. Brownish olive above, somewhat streaked, rump brighter; crown bright chest nut; superciliary line and under parts yellow with brown streaks; no wing bars; $ similar; L. 5; W. 2f; T. 2£. E. N. A.; abundant; terrestrial; less beautiful than most of the group. 8. SEIURUS, Swainson. WATER THRUSHES. 1. S. aurocapillus, (L. ) Sw. GOLDEN - CROWNED THRUSH. OVEN-BIRD. Bright olive green, white SYLVICOLID^E. — XXVII. 67 below, sharply spotted on breast and sides, after the. fashion of the Thrushes; crown orange brown, with two black stripes; L. 6i; W. 3; T. 2£. U. S.; abundant in woodland, spending most of its time on the ground, like the other species of this genus, and the next two; re markable for its loud, ringing song, and its curious oven- shaped nest; the largest of the true Warblers. 2. S. noveboracensis, (Gm.) Nutt. WATER WAGTAIL. WATER THRUSH. Dark olive brown above, pale yellow ish beneath, thickly spotted every where with the color of the back; a yellowish superciliary line; bill about a half inch long; feet dark; L. 6; W. 3; T. 2^. N. Am.; abundant in low thickets; moves its tail like a Wagtail. 3. S. motacilla, (Vieill.) Bon. LARGE - BILLED WATER THRUSH. Same general color as last, but white or pale buffy below, and less sharply spotted; bill much larger, about f inch; feet pale; larger; L. 6J; W. 3£; T. &J-. E. U. S., scarce; N. to Mass. (Allen) and N. Wis. (Jordan.) (S. ludovicianus, authors.) 9. OPORORNIS, Baird. NIMBLE WARBLERS. 1. 0. agilis, (Wils.) Bd. CONNECTICUT WARBLER. Olive green, ashy on head; throat and breast brownish ash, otherwise yellow below; no sharp markings; in fall more olivaceous; L. 5f ; W. 3; T. 2£. E. U. S., rare; a shy, quiet bird. 2. 0. formosus, (Wils.) Bd. KENTUCKY WARBLER. Clear olive green, bright yellow below; crown and sides of head and neck black, with a rich yellow superciliary stripe, which bends around the eye behind; L. 5}; W. 3; T. 2^. E. U. S., chiefly southerly, N. to Wis. and Conn.; in low thickets, not generally common; a handsome and active species. 68 BIKDS. 10. GEOTHLYPIS, Cabanis. GROUND WAKELESS. 1. G. trichas, (L.) Cab. MARYLAND YELLOW THKOAT. BLACK -MASKED GROUND WARBLER. Olive green; fore head and broad mask extending down sides of head and neck jet black, bordered behind with clear ash; under parts yellow, clear on throat and breast; $ obscurely marked, without black mask and with less yellow; L. 4J; W. 2£; T. 2%. U. S., abundant in thickets; a pretty bird with a lively song. 2. G. Philadelphia, (Wils.) Bd. MOURNING WARBLER. Bright olive, clear yellpw below; head ashy; throat and breast black, the feathers usually ashy -skirted (as though the bird wore crape, hence " Mourning Warb ler"); $ and $ not in full plumage almost exactly like O. agilis, but the tail as long as wings; L. 5^; W. 2£; T. 2^. E. U. S., rather rare, in dense thickets. //. ICTERIA, Vieillot. YELLOW - BREASTED CHATS. 1. I. virens, (L.) Bd. YELLOW - BREASTED CHAT. Olive -green; throat and breast bright yellow; belly abruptly white; lores black, a white superciliary line; wings and tail plain; tarsus almost booted; L. 7£; W. 3i; T. 3i. U. S., southerly; N. to Mass, and Wis. (Cope- land.} A loud, quaint songster, often placed with the Vireos, but having little affinity with any of our groups. 12. MYIODIOCTES, Audubon. FLY-CATCHING WARBLERS. = Wilsonia, Nuttall (used in Botany). 1. Jiff, mitratus, (Gm.) Aud. HOODED FLY -CATCHING WARBLER. YELLOW- MASKED WARBLER. Bright yellow- olive, crown and neck all around jet black, enclosing a broad golden mask; under parts from the breast bright yellow ; tail with white blotches ; $ olive instead of TANAGBID.E. — XXVIII. 69 black; L. 5; W. 2f ; T. 2£. E. U. S., southerly; N. to L. Erie; a singular species. 2. M. pusillus, (Wils.) Bonap. GREEN BLACK-CAPPED FLY-CATCHING WARBLER. Clear yellow-olive; crown glossy black; forehead, lores, sides of head and entire under parts bright yellow; wings and tail unblotched; $ with less black; L, 4f ; W. 2£; T. 2^. U. S.; abundant. 3. M. canadensis, (L.) And. CANADA FLY - CATCHING WARBLER. Bluish ash; crown speckled with black; under parts (except white crissum) clear yellow; lores black, continuous with black under the eye, and this passing as a chain of black streaks down the side of the .neck and encircling the breast like a necklace; wings and tail plain; $ similar, with less black; L. 5^; W. 2f ; T. 2$. E. U. S., to the Missouri, frequent. One of the handsomest Warblers. 13. SETOPHAGA, Swainson. AMERICAN REDSTARTS. 1. 5. ruticiila, (L.) Sw. REDSTART. Black; sides of breast and large blotches on wings and tail orange-red; belly white, reddish tinged; $> olive, similarly marked with reddish yellow; L. 5i; W. 2£; T. 2£. E. U. S., very abundant. A handsome and active Fly-Catcher. FAMILY XXVIII. — TAN AGRID^E. (The Tanagers.) Primaries 9; bill usually conical, sometimes depressed or attenuated, the culmen curved; cutting edges not much inflected, sometimes toothed, notched or serrated; tarsus scutellate. Legs short; claws long; colors usually brilliant. A large family of three hundred or more species, confined to the warmer parts of America, and embracing a wide diversity of forms. Some have slender bills and are scarcely distinguishable from the Warblers. 70 BIEDS. Others, like our Pyranga^ have stout conical bills and are very closely related to the Finches. The single North American genus has a stout, sparrow - like bill, notched at the tip, and more or less evidently toothed or lobed near the middle of the upper mandible. /. PYRANGA,V\z\\\Qt. FIRE TANAGERS. 1. P. rubra, (L.) Vieill. SCARLET TANAGER. $ brilliant scarlet; wings and tail black, no wing bars; $ clear olive green; clear greenish yellow below; L. 7£; W. 4; T. 3. E. U. S.; abundant in woodland; a respectable songster. 2. P. cestiva, (L.) Vieill. SUMMER RED BIRD. $ bright rose red throughout; wings a little dusky; $> dull brownish olive, dull yellowish below; no wing bars; bill and feet paler than in P. rubra; size of last. E. U. S., chiefly southerly; N. to N. J. and Ills.; abundant. FAMILY xxix.— HIRUNDINIM:. (The Swallows.) Primaries 9; bill " fissirostral," i. e., short, broad, tri angular, depressed, the gape wide and about twice as long as the culmen, reaching to about opposite the eyes. Wings very long and pointed, the first primary usually longest, and twice as long as the last; secondaries very short. Tail more or less forked. Feet weak; tarsus scutellate, shorter than middle toe and claw. Plumage compact, and more or less lustrous. A very natural family of about one hundred species, found all over the world. All are strong on the wing, insectivorous, and usually migratory. * Plumage above more or less lustrous blue-black or green ; no tarsal tuft nor recurved hooks on outer primary. f Tail deeply forked; outer feathers attenuate and blotched with white HIRUNDO, 1. . — XXIX. 71 ff Tail scarcely forked ; rump and forehead not colored like the back ........ PETROCHELIDON, 3. fft Tail somewhat forked , unblotched ; rump and forehead colored like the back. a. Lustrous green or violaceous; pure white below; length less than 61 ...... TACHYCINETA, 2. aa. Lustrous blue-black ; ? paler and whitish below ; length more than 6£. . . . . . PBOGNE, 6. ** Plumage brownish-gray; scarcely lustrous and without shades of blue or green. 6. A little tuft of feathers on tarsus at base of hind toe ; edge of wing smooth. ...... COTYLE, 4. 6&. Outer web of first primary more or less saw like, with a series of minute recurved hooks; no tarsal tuft. STELGIDOPTERYX, 5. /. HIRUNDO, Linnaeus. SWALLOWS. 1. H. horreorum, Barton. BAKN SWALLOW. Lustrous steel-blue, pale chestnut below ; forehead and throat deep chestnut; an imperfect steel-blue collar; tail very deeply forked; L. 7; W. 5; T. 4£. N. Am., abundant; breeding in colonies about barns, etc. 2. TACHYCINETA, Cabanis. WHITE- BELLIED SWALLOWS. 1. T. bicolor, (Vieill.) Coues. WHITE - BELLIED SWAL LOW. Lustrous green, pure white below; $ duller; L. 6£; W. 5; T. 2f. N. Am., abundant about water, nesting in trees, etc.; a handsome swallow. 3. PETROCHELIDON, Cabanis. CLIFF SWALLOWS. 1. P. lunifrons, (Say.) Cab. CLIFF SWALLOW. EAVE SWALLOW. Lustrous steel blue; forehead, sides of head, throat, rump, etc., of various shades of chestnut; a blue spot on breast, belly whitish; L. 5£; W. 4£; T. 2£. N. Am., abundant, formerly nesting in clift's, but now under the eaves of barns, etc. 72 BIBDS. 4. COTYLE, Boie. BANK SWALLOWS. 1. C. riparia, (L.) Boie. BANK SWALLOW. SAND MARTIN. Dark gray, not iridescent, white below, a brown shade across the breast; L. 4f ; W. 4; T. 2. N. Am., abundant, breeding in holes in sandbanks, etc. 5. STELGIDOPTERYX, Baird. ROUGH -WINGED SWALLOWS. 1. S. serripennis, (Aud.) Bd. ROUGH -WINGED SWALLOW. Brownish gray; wing hooks weak in ?; L. 5i; W. 4£; T. 2%. U. S., not common, rare eastward, breeding in banks, etc. 6. PROGNE, Boie. MARTINS. 1. P. sub/Sf (L.) Bd. PURPLE MARTIN. Lustrous blue -black throughout; $ duller, whitish and streaky below; bill stout, almost hooked; L. 7£; W. 6; T. 3£. N. Am., abundant. (P. purpurea, Auct.) FAMILY XXX. — AMPELID^E. (The Chatterers.) Primaries 10, or apparently 9, the first sometimes rudimentary and displaced; bill stout, triangular, de pressed, decidedly notched and hooked, with the gape very wide. Nostrils overhung by membrane covered with bristly feathers. Tarsus short, with the lateral plates more or less subdivided, and often scarcely oscine in character; lateral toes nearly equal. As here con stituted, a small group of six or eight species, the MyidestincG usually brought into this connection being really Turdidce, as shown by Prof. Baird. There are two sub - families, bearing but little resemblance to each other, — PtttogonydinCB, of the warmer parts of N. America, and Ampelince^ of the northern parts of both hemispheres. VJREONID^B. — XXXI. 73 The Ampelmce constitute a single genus of three species. All are crested birds with a soft plumage of a handsome cinnamon drab color; the ends of the secon daries, and sometimes of the tail feathers, also, are tipped with horny appendages, looking like red sealing- wax. The tail is short and square, much shorter than the long wings, and in our species it is tipped with yellow. The Wax Wings are migratory and gregarious, feeding on insects and soft fruits. Their voices are weak and wheezy, and they can scarcely be considered as songsters. /. AMPELIS, Linnaeus. WAX WINGS. 1. A. garrulus, L. BOHEMIAN WAX WING. NORTHERN WAX WING. General color an indescribable silky, ashy brown with a red tinge; front and sides of head shaded with purplish cinnamon ; a black band across forehead around head; throat black; crissum chestnut red; two broad white wing bars; L. 7^; W. 4-J-; T. 3. Northern regions, S. in winter in large flocks to the Great Lakes; an interesting and beautiful bird. 2. A. cedrorum, (Vieill.) Bd. CEDAR BIRD. CHERRY BIRD. SOUTHERN WAX WING. Similar but smaller and less cinnamon-tinged, chin black; strip across face black, bordered above by whitish; belly yellowish; crissum white; no wing bars; with the wax-like appendages small or wanting; L. 6£; W. 3f ; T. ty. E. U. S., abundant. FAMILY XXXI. — VIREONID^E. (The Vireos.} Primaries 10, or apparently only 9, the first being sometimes rudimentary and displaced. Bill shorter than head, stout, compressed, decidedly notched and hooked. 74 BIRDS. Rictus with bristles. Nostrils exposed, overhung by a scale, reached by the bristly frontal feathers. Tarsus scutellate; toes soldered at base for the whole length of basal joint of middle one, which is united with the basal joint of the inner and the two basal joints *of the outer; lateral toes usually unequal. A rather small family, comprising sixty or seventy species of small olivaceous birds, all American. The coloration is usually blended and varies little with age or sex. All are insectivorous, and many of them are remarkable as songsters. Concerning the " nine-primarie-d " species, Prof. Baird remarks: "In V. Jlavifrons^ in which the outer primary is supposed to be wanting, its presence may be easily appreciated. One of the peculiar characters of this species consists in a narrow edging of white to all the primary quills, while the primary coverts (the small feathers covering their bases, as distinguished from what are usually termed the wing coverts, which more properly belong to the forearm or secondaries) are without them. If these coverts are carefully pushed aside, two small feathers considerably shorter than the others will be dis closed, one overlying the other, which (the under one) springs from the base of the exposed portion of the long outermost primary, and lies immediately against its outer edge. This small feather is stiff, falcate, and edged with white like the other quills, and can be brought partly around on the inner edge of the large primary, when it will look like any spurious quill. The overlying feather is soft, and without light edge. In the other Vireos, with appreciable spurious or short outer primary, a similar examination will reveal only one small feather at the outer side of the base of the exterior large primary. VIREONIDJE.--XXXT. 75 In all the families of Passeres, where the existence of nine primaries is' supposed to be characteristic, I have invariably found, as far as my observations have extend ed, that there were two of the small feathers referred to, while in those of ten primaries but one would be detected." * Wings long and pointed, i or more longer than the tail ; first primary very small or apparently wanting, less than £ length of second. VIKEOSYLVIA, 1. «t ** Wings relatively short and rounded, not one -fourth longer than the tail ; first primary f or more length of second ; bill stout . . . VIKEO, 2. /. ViREOSYLVIA, Bonaparte. LONG - WINGED VIREOS. < Vireo, Vieillot. * Slender species, the bill slender, light horn color, pale below; commissure straight and culmen relatively so; no wing bars nor conspicuous orbital ring ; feet weak. ( Vireosylma ) f Primaries apparent^ 9. 1. /. olivacea, (L.) Bon. RED - EYED VIREO. GREEN- LET. Olive green, crown ashy, edged on each side with blackish; a white superciliary line, and below this a dusky streak; white below, somewhat olive shaded; eyes red; L. 6; W. 3£; T. 2%. "E. U. S., very abundant in woodland; an energetic songster. 2. V. phUadelphica, Cassin. PHILADELPHIA GREENLET. Dull olive green, becoming ashy on crown; no black lines on head; a whitish superciliary line; below faintly yellowish, fading to white on throat, etc.; L. 4f ; W. 2f ; T. 2|. E. U. S., scarce. ff Primaries evidently 10. 3. /. gilva, (Vieill.) Cass. WARBLING VIREO. Colors exactly as in the preceding, but the spurious quill evident; L. 5£; W. 2f ; T. 2J. E. N. A., frequent; an exquisite songster, nesting in tall trees in cities, etc. 76 BIRDS. ** Stout species ; the bill short and stout, blue-black ; both citlmen and commissure decidedly curved ; a pale stripe running from bill to and around eye; white wing bars; quills blackish, mostly edged with white ; feet stout. (Lanivireo, Bd.) \. Primaries apparently 9. 4. V. flavifrons, (Vieill.) Baird. YELLOW - THROATED VIEEO. Rich olive green above, becoming ashy on rump; bright yellow below; belly white; superciliary line and orbital ring yellow; L. 5f; W. 3; T. 2. E. U. S., abundant; a brightly colored species. \\ Primaries evidently 10. 5. V. solitaria, (Wils.) Baird. BLUE - HEADED VIREO. SOLITARY GREENLET. Bright olive green; crown and sides of head bluish ash; stripe to and around eye white, a dusky line below it; white below, somewhat washed with pale yellow; L. 5f ; W. 3; T. 2£. U. S., in wood land, frequent; a stout, handsome species. 2. f7fl£0, Vieillot. SHORT - WINGED VIREOS. 1. /. noveboracensis, (Gm.) Bonap. WHITE- EYED VIREO. Bright olive green, white below; sides and crissum bright yellow; pale wing bars; stripe from bill to and around eye, yellow; eyes white; L. 5; W. 2£; T. 2£. E. U. S., in thickets; a sprightly bird, with a loud and varied song. 2. V. belli, Aud. BELL'S VIREO. Olive-green, yellow below, chin and superciliary line whitish; wing bars whitish; L. 4£; W. 2£; T. 2. Western, E. to Ills, and Neb. Resembles V. gilva. FAMILY XXXII.— LANIID^E. (The Shrikes.) Primaries 10, the first short (rarely wanting) ; bill hawk like, very strong, the upper mandible toothed and ab- . — XXXIII. 77 ruptly hooked at the tip ; both mandibles distinctly notched. Wings short, rounded. Tail long. Tarsus scutellate on the outside as well as in front. Sexes alike. Species about 100, found in most parts of the world, remarkable for their energy and pugnacity. * Rictus with bristles ; nostrils concealed by bristly tufts ; colors black, white and gray. .... COLLURIO, 1. /. COLLURIO, Vigors. SHRIKES. 1. C. borealis, (Vieill.) Baird. GREAT NORTHERN SHRIKE. BUTCHERBIRD. Clear bluish ash above; black bars on side of head not meeting in front, interrupted by a white crescent on under eyelid; rump and shoulders whitish; wings black; white below, waved with blackish; L. 9^-; W. 4^; T. 4£. Northern regions, S in winter to Ohio R. and Potomac. 2. C. ludovicianus, (L.) var. excubitoroides, (Sw.) Coues. LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. Clear ashy blue ; a whitish superciliary line; black bars on sides of head meeting across forehead; no crescent on under eyelid; white below scarcely or not dark-waved; L. 8£; W. 4; T. 4£. Western, E. to L. Michigan and Ohio R. FAMILY XXXIII. — FRINGILLID^E. (The Finches) Primaries 9. Tarsus strictly oscine. Bill mostly shorter than head, robust, of a conical form, with the commissure more or less abruptly angulated near its base; in other words, the "corners of the mouth drawn down." This feature is usually unmistakeable, and it is almost the only character pertaining to all the members of the family. Even this is also shared by the Icteridce, which, however, may generally be distinguished by the greater length and slenderness of the bill. 78 BIKDS. A very large family, the most extensive in Ornithology, comprising about one hundred genera and five hundred species, found in nearly every part of the world, except Australia. They are especially abundant in North America, where about one-eighth of all the birds are Frinyillidoe. " Any one United States locality of aver age attractiveness to birds, has a bird-fauna of over two hundred species, and if it be away from the sea-coast, and consequently uninhabited by marine birds, about one-fourth of the species are Sylvicolidce and Fringil- lidce together, the latter somewhat in excess of the former. It is not easy, therefore, to give undue promi nence to these two families." (Coues.) All the Finches are granivorous, feeding chiefly on seeds, but not rejecting either berries or insects; nearly all sing, and some most delightfully; most of them are plainly clad, a streaky brown being the prevailing tint, but others are among the most brilliantly colored birds. Among these latter only are the changes in plumage strongly marked. The following key to the genera is aoout as artificial .as it well could be, but a more natural one would be less easy of application, The characters here assigned are seldom truly generic. * Species of large size ; length at least more than 7£. f Tail longer than wings. a. Conspicuously crested, chiefly red or rosy-tinted; bill very large, reddish. . , . . CARDINALIS, 23. aa. Not crested; black or brown with chestnut on sides; wings and tail with white ; bill moderate, black, PIPILO, 24. aaa. Not crested, head mostly black; no white on tail. ZONOTRICHIA, 13, |f Tail shorter than wings. b. Bill very large and stout. (" Grosbeaks") FRINGILLID^E. — XXXHI, 79 c. Black and white (<$) or brown, streaked (?) ; under wing coverts rosy or j^ellow. . . . GONIAPHEA, 20. CG. Rosy red ($} or gray with brownish yellow on head and rump ($). ...... PINICOLA, 2. ccc. Bill greenish yellow, as long as tarsus ; wings and tail black ; secondaries mostly white. HESPERIPHONA, 1. bb. Bill moderate or small. d. White, with black on wings and tail, or washed with clear brown ; hind toe elongated. PLECTRGPHANES, 7. dd. Streaked above ; head striped ; tail about as long as wings. ...... ZONOTRICHIA, 13. ** Species of medium or small size; length 7i or less. if Mandibles long and much curved, their points crossed ; colors chiefly red or olive. . . . . . LOXIA, 4. $ Hind claw straightish, twice as long as middle claw ; colors black, white and brown. . . PLECTROPHANES, 7. \\\ With neither of the preceding combinations. $. No where decidedly spotted or streaked (sometimes appear ing mottled owing to the darker centers of the feathers). /. Blackish, or ashy ; belly and one to three outer tail feath ers white ; bill pale, without ruff. . Jtnsrco, 17. ff. Yellow, more or less ; base of bill with a small ruff; no blue ; young brownish. . . CHRYSOMITRIS, 6. fff. Chiefly or entirely blue (3), greenish or plain brown (9). g. Length more than 6 ; wings with chestnut or whitish ; bill stout. . • . . . . GUIRACA, 21. gg. Length 5 to 6 ; gonys usually with a dusky stripe. CYANOSPIZA, 22. ee. Some where or every where decidedly spotted or streaked. h. One or more outer tail feathers partly or wholly white. t. Hind claw very long and nearly straight; colors black and white or brown. . . PLECTROPHANES, 7. ii. Hind claw not specially elongated. ,;'. Bend of wing with chestnut ; crown and breast streaked ; tail much shorter than wings. POOSCETES, 10. BIBDS. jy. No chestnut on wing ; breast unstreaked ; head with black, white and chestnut ; tail nearly as long as wings ...... CIIONDESTES, 12. lih. Tail feathers rigid, acute, almost scansorial ; small streaked marsh-sparrows with yellow-edged wings. AMMODROMUS, 11. TMi. Tail feathers more or less rounded and soft, none of them white. k. Wings decidedly longer than tail. I With crimson or clear (not rusty) red ; a ruff at base of bill. m. Crown crimson ; throat dusky. . ^EGIOTHUS, 5. mm. Crown, chin, throat and often whole plumage washed with red. . . $ of CARPODACUS, 3. LI. With definite yellow some where. n. Bases and edges of quills and tail feathers yellow; bill acute. . . „ CHRYSOMITRIS, 6. nn. Rump sulphur yellow; bill with a small ruff. nnn. Edge of wing and superciliary line or spot at least, yellow or yellowish; no ruff. o. Breast yellow; throat patch or streaks black, bill bluish ..... EUSPIZA, 19. oo. Breast buffy or streaky; wings less than 2|; tail feathers narrow. . AMMODROMUS, 11. ooo. Breast streaked ; wings more than 2£ ; inner secondaries nearly as long as primaries. PASSERCULUS, 9. III. With no definite crimson nor yellow any where. p. Introduced birds, not streaked below ; throat black in $ ..... _. . PASSER, 8. pp. Native birds, much streaked below. q. Inner claw reaching at least half way to tip of middle claw ; tail, wings, etc., with much chestnut red ; wings more than 3 ; no ruff. PASSERELLA, 18. FBINGILLIDJE. — XXXIII. 81 qq. Olivaceous; 110 black nor chestnut; wings more than 3 , secondaries not lengthened ; a ruff at base of bill. . . 5 of CARPODACUS, 3, qqq. Inner secondaries lengthened, about as long as primaries ; wings less than 3 ; no ruff. PASSERCULUS, 9. We. Wings little if any longer than tail. r. Tail feathers very slender, rather stiff and sharp pointed. . . . AMMODROMUS, 11, rr. Tail feathers not rigid and sharp pointed. s. Sharply streaked below. . . MELOSPIZA, 15. ss. Not streaked below (when adult.) t. Crown chestnut in adult (streaky in young) ; no yellow. u. Tail rounded; length about 5|; wings and tail less than 21; shaiply streaked above. MELOSPIZA, 15. uu« Tail forked; length 5 to 61; wings and tail 2i to 3 ; tarsus £ to f . . SPIZELLA, 14. it. Crown not chestnut in adult, often partially so in young. $. Head striped ; length more than 6 ; tarsus more than £. . . ZONOTRICHIA, 13. vo. Length less than 6; bend of wing yellowish. , 16. /. HESPERIPHONA, Bonaparte. EVENING GROSBEAKS. 1. H. vespQrtina, (Coop.) Bon. EVENING GROSBEAK. Olivaceous; crown, wings, tail and tibia black; forehead and crissum yellow; bill very large, yellowish; L. 8; W. 4i; T. 2-£. Western, E. to Ohio, etc. 2., PI N ICO LA f Vieillot. PINE GROSBEAKS. 1. P. enuc/eator, (L.) Vieill. PINE GROSBEAK. $ chiefly red; white wing bars; ? ashy gray with brownish yellow on head and rump; L. 8£; W. 4£; T. 4. North ward, S. in winter; in pine woods, etc. 82 BIRDS, 3. CARPODACUS, Kaup. PURPLE FINCHES. 1. C. purpureus, (Gmel.) Gray8 PURPLE FINCH. Every where streaky; $ flushed with red, most intense on the crown, fading below and behind; $ olive brown with no red; bill stout; L. 6; W. 34; T. BJ. U. S., a fine songster. 4. LGXIA, Linnaeus. CROSSBILLS. 1. L leucoptera, (Gmel.) WHITE WINGED CROSSBILL. $ rose red; white wing bars; ? brownish olive, speckled with dusky; rump yellow; L. 6i; W. 3£; T. 2£. North ern, S. in winter. 2. L. curvi rostra, L. RED CROSSBILL. £ brick -red; wings unmarked; $ brownish olive; L. 6; W. 3£; T. 2J. Northern regions and pine woods; S. in winter. 5. MGIOTHUS, Cabanis. LINNETS 1. /E. linarius, (L.) Cab. RED POLL LINNET. Crown crimson in both sexes; throat, breast and rump also rosy in $] much streaked above; chin blackish; L. 5f ; W. 3; T. 2£. Northern, S. in winter, in flocks. 2. JE. flavirostris, (L.) var. brewsteri, Ridgway. BREWS- TER'S LINNET. No red on crown or breast; rump rosy in 3; yellow in ?; L. 5£; W..3; T. 2£. Mass., lately dis covered. 6. CHRYSOMITRIS, Boie. GOLDFINCHES. * Sexes alike; plumage thickly streaked everywhere; no black on head ; bill very sharp. (Chryxomitris) 1. C. pinus, (Wils.) Bon. PINE LINNET. Plumage streaky brown, suffused with yellow in the breeding season; bases of quills and tail feathers yellow, much as in the female Redstart; L. 4f; W. 2|; T. 2. N. Am., rather northward, but liable to "turn up " any where. — XXXIH. 83 ** Sexes unlike ; scarcely or not streaked ; adult $ with black on crown, wings and tall. (Astragalmus, Cab.) 2. C. tr/st/Sf (L.) Bon. YELLOW BIRD. THISTLE BIRD. AM. GOLDFINCH. $ rich yellow; rump whitish; wing bars white; white spot on each tail feather; $ more olivaceous; fall plumage pale yellow brown; young variously ochraceous, with yellow or not; L. 5; W. 3; T. 2. N. Am.; everywhere. 7. PLECTROPHANES, Meyer. LONGSPURS. * Bill small, with a ruff; hind claw long but curved. (Plectra- phanes.) 1. P. nivalis, (L.) Meyer. SNOW BUNTING. SNOW FLAKE. In breeding season, pure white, with black on back, wings and tail; bill and feet black; in U. S. usually bill pale, and white of body clouded with clear, warm brown; L. 7; W- 4J; T. 3. Northern, S. in winter to Ohio R.; a beautiful bird. ** Bill larger, without ruff; hind claw nearly straight. (Centra- pJianes, Kaup.) 2. P. lapponicus, (L.) Selby. LAPLAND LONGSPUR. $ with head and throat mostly black; a chestnut collar; back black and streaky, whitish below; outer tail feathers with white; legs and feet black; $ and winter birds with less black; L. 6i; W. 4; T. 2f. Northern, S. in winter to N. Y. and Ills. 3. P. pictus, Sw. PAINTED LARK BUNTING. $ with head and upper parts mostly black; collar and under parts rich fawn color; legs pale; $ duller. Northern, S. in the interior to Ills, and Kans.; rare. 8. PASSERr Brisson. HOUSE SPARROWS. = Pyrgita, Cuvier. 1. P. domesticus, L. ENGLISH SPARROW. $ chestnut 84 BIBDS. brown above, thickly streaked; ashy below; throat, lores and chin black; $ duller, without black; feet small; L. G; W. 2f ; T. 2-J-. Introduced from Europe; abundant in the large cities. 2. P. montanus, Auct. EUROPEAN TREE SPARROW. " Distinguished by the chestnut crown, and the similarity of both sexes and the young." Introduced with preced ing, and abundant in St. Louis (Dr. J. C. Merrill), and perhaps other places. 9. PASSERCULUS, Bonaparte. SAVANNA SPARROWS. 1. P. savanna, (Wils.) Bon. SAVANNA SPARROW. Sharply streaked; streaks on back blackish; superciliary line and edge of wing yellowish; L. 5J; W. 2f ; T. 2. N. Am., abundant on plains and shores. 2. P. princeps, Maynard. IPSWICH SPARROW. Streaks on back sandy brown, not sharply denned; superciliary line white in front; L. 6; W. 3i; T. 2£. Mass., lately discovered. 10. POtECETES, Baird. GRASS SPARROWS. 1. P. gramineus, (Gm.) Baird. BAY -WINGED BUNT ING. GRASS SPARROW. GROUND BIRD. Thickly streaked everywhere; slightly buffy below; L. 6; W. 3; T. 2£. N. Am., abundant in fields, etc., and known at once by the chestnut bend of wing and white outer tail feathers. //. AMMODROMUS, Swainson. SHORE SPARROWS. * Bill stout ; tail feathers acute but not rigid ; crown with a medium light stripe ; inland species. (Coturniculus, Bon.) 1. A. passerinus, (Wils.) Baird. YELLOW -WINGED SPARROW. Much streaked above; feathers edged with bay; breast buffy, un streaked; wings and tail short; edge FBINGILLID^. — XXXIII. 85 and bend of wing and line over eye yellow; L. 5; "W. 2f ; T. 2. U. S., in fields; notes sharp, grasshopper-like. 2. A. henslowi, (Aud.) Baird. HENSLOW'S SPARROW. Smaller; more yellow above; breast, etc., with some sharp black streaks; L. 5; W. 2£; T. 2-j,. E. U. S., scarce; N. to Mass. 3. A. lecontei, (Aud.) Baird. LECONTE'S SPARROW. Intermediate between the preceding and the next; bill small, blue-black; back with rufous; tail feathers very sharp and slender; breast unspotted, a broad buffy superciliary stripe; L. 4f ; W. 2-^; T. 2-^-. Chicago, Ills. (E. W. Nelson] to Texas and N. W.; very rare. ** Bill long and slender; tail feathers sharp and rather stiff; sea shore Sparrows. (Ammodromus.) 4. A. maritimus, (Wils.) Sw. SEA-SIDE FINCH. Olive gray; back obscurely streaked; a yellow spot over eye; L. 6; W. 2^-; T. 2. Salt marshes, Atlantic coast. 5. A. caudacuius, (Gm.) Sw. SHARP-TAILED FINCH. Back sharply streaked; no yellow spot over eye, a bright buff superciliary stripe; L. 5; W. 2-J; T. If. Atlantic coast. Var. nelsoni, Allen. NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED FINCH. Shores of Lake Michigan about Chicago ; common. (E. W. Nelson.) 12. CHONDESTES, Swainson. LARK SPARROWS. 1. C. grammaca, (Say.) Bon. LARK FINCH. Streaked above, ashy below; crown and ear coverts chestnut, blackening on forehead, with whitish median and super ciliary stripes; black lines through and below eye; and a conspicuous black line on each side of the white throat; a black pectoral spot; middle tail feathers like back, the rest blackish, white tipped; L. 6J; W. 3J; T. 86 BIRDS. 3. Western, E. to Ohio; abundant on prairies and river bluffs; a fine songster. 13. ZONOTRICHIA, Swainson. WHITE - CROWNED SPARROWS. 1. Z. leucophrys, (Forst.) Sw. WHITE - CROWNED SPARROW. Streaked above, with but little chestnut; crown with a broad white median band, a narrow black one and a white one on each side of it; no yellow any where; throat like breast; young with the crown chiefly rich brown; L. 7; W. 3£; T. 3£. N. Am.; less common than the next. 2. Z. albicollis, (Gm.) Bon. WHITE-THROATED SPAR ROW. PEABODY BIRD. Much chestnut streaking above; crown black, with white median and superciliary stripes; spot over eye and edge of wing always yellow; ashy below, whitening on throat; $ duller; L. 7; W. 3; T. 3£. E. N. Am.; an abundant and handsome sparrow. 3. Z. querula, (Nutt. ) Gambel. BLACK -HOODED SPARROW. Crown, face and throat jet black; no yellow; $ with less black; L. 7£; W. 3£; T. 8}. Missouri region, E. to Minn. 14. SPIZELLA, Bonaparte. CHIPPING SPARROWS. 1. S. monticola, (Gm.) Baird. TREE SPARROW. Streaked above ; crown chestnut ; bill black above, yellow below; neck, line over eye and under parts ashy gray; a dark pectoral blotch; white wing bars; L. 6^; W. 3; T. 3. N. Am., chiefly northerly; U. S. in winter. 2. S. pusilla, (Wils.) Bon. FIELD SPARROW. General color of preceding, but paler and duller; bill pale; wing bands rather obscure; L. 5|; W. 2^; T. 2£. E. U. S., abundant. [S. agrestis^ (Bart.) Coues.] FKINGILLID^. — XXXHI. 87 3. 5. socia//$, (Wils.) Bon. CHIPPY. HAIR BIRD. Streaked above, with much dull bay; crown chestnut; bill, forehead and streak through eye black; ashy below; L. 5i; W. 2f ; T. 2±. N. Am., every where. [#. domestica,) (Bart.) Coues.] 4. S. pa///da, (Sw.) Bon. CLAY -COLORED SPARROW. Still smaller; pale brownish yellow, streaked with black; crown grayish, with median stripe. S. Ills, and W. 15. MELOSPIZA, Baird. SONG SPARROWS. 1. M. melodia, (Wils.) Baird. SONG SPARROW. Much streaked above, and on breast and sides; crown with an obscure pale median stripe ; below white, pectoral streaks often forming a blotch; L. 6£; W. 2£; T. 3. U. S., every where; a well-known songster. [M. fasciata^ (Gmel.) Scott.] 2. M. palustris, (Wils.) Baird. SWAMP SPARROW. Crown chestnut; wings strongly tinged with chestnut; breast and below with few streaks or none; tail shorter than in the Song Sparrow; L. 5f ; W. 2£; T. 2J-. E. U. S., in low thickets. 3. M. lincolni, (Aud.) Baird. LINCOLN'S FINCH. Every where thickly, narrowly and sharply streaked; breast with a broad band of pale buffy or yellowish brown; sides washed with the same; L. 5^-; W. 2^; T. 2%. N. Am., rare eastward; a shy species quite unlike the others. 16. PEUCSEA, Audubon. SUMMER SPARROWS. 1. P. CBstivalis, (Licht.) Cab. BACHMAN'S FINCH. Much streaked above, ashy below; yellow on bend of wing but none on head; L. 6; W. 2£; T. 2%. Southern, N. to Illinois. 88 BIRDS. 17. JUNCO, Wagler. SNOW BIRDS. 1. J. hyemalis, (L.) Scl. SNOW BIRD. ? more gray ish; L. 6J; W. 3; T. 3. E. N. Am., every where abund ant, mostly seen in winter. 18. PASSERELLA, Swainson. Fox SPARROWS. 1. P. iliaca, (JVIerrem.) Sw. Fox SPARROW. Ashy above, overlaid and much streamed with rusty red, which becomes bright bay on rump, tail and wings; white below with large arrow-shaped spots and streaks, numer ous on breast; feet stout, with long claws; L. 7; W. 3£; T. 3. E. N. Am.; migrating early; one of the hand somest streaked sparrows. 19. EUSPIZA, Bonaparte. BLACK-THROATED BUNTINGS. 1. E. americana, (Grn.) Bon. BLACK -THROATED BUNTING. Grayish and streaked above; wing coverts chestnut; line over eye, maxillary stripe, edge of wing, breast and part of belly yellow; throat patch black; otherwise white below; ? with little chestnut, and the black reduced to a few streaks; L. 6}; W. 3J; T. 2|. Meadows, etc., Conn, to Kansas, chiefly westward; a handsome bird with sleek plumage, and a peculiar, but scarcely musical song. 2. E. townsendi, (Aud.) Bon. TOWNSEND'S BUNTING. Upper parts, head, neck, etc., slaty blue; no chestnut, and little yellow or black. Smaller, a doubtful species. Only one specimen known from E. Penn. 20. GONIAPHEA, Bowdich. BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS. = HedymeleS) Cabanis. 1. G. ludovicia.no., (L.) Bowdich. ROSE - BREASTED GROSBEAK. $ with head, neck and upper parts mostly black, with white on rump, wings and tail; belly white; FRINGILLID^B. — XXXIII. 89 breast and under wing coverts of an exquisite rose-red; bill very stout, pale; $ olive brown, much streaked, with the under wing coverts saffron yellow; head with whitish bands; L. 8£; W. 4; T. 3J. E. U. S., abundant; perhaps our handsomest bird, and one of our most brilliant songsters. 21. GUIRACA, Swainson. BLUE GROSBEAKS. 1. G. ccerulea, (L.) Sw. BLUE GROSBEAK. $ rich blue; feathers about bill, wings and tail, black; wing bars chestnut ; ? yellowish brown, with whitish wing bars; L. 7; W. 3£; T. 2f. Southern, N. to N. Y. and Wis.; a fine songster. 22. CYANOSPIZA, Baird. INDIGO BIRDS. 1. C. cyanea, (L.) Baird. INDIGO BIRD. $ Indigo blue, clear on head, greenish behind ; $ plain warm brown, obscurely streaky, known from other small spar rows by a dusky line along the gonys; L. 5f ; W. 3; T. 2f. E. U. S., abundant in summer; a tireless songster. 2. C. ciris, (L.) Baird. NONPAREIL. PAINTED BUNT ING. $ head and neck blue; under parts, etc., vermillion; shoulders, etc., green; $ green, yellowish below; L. 5^-. Southern, N. to S. Ills, (tfelson.) 23. CARDINALIS, Bonaparte. CARDINAL GROSBEAKS. 1. C. virginianus, (Brisson) Bon. CARDINAL GROSBEAK. RED BIRD. Clear red, ashy on back; chin and forehead black; crest conspicuous; $ ashy brown, more or less washed with red; L. 8£; W. 4; T. 4|. E. U. S., south erly, N. to Mass, and N. Wis.; abundant. A brilliant songster, much sought as a cage bird. 24. PIPILO, Vieillot. TOWHEE BUNTINGS. 1. P. eryihrophthalmus, (L.) Vieill. CHEWINK. MARSH 90 BIRDS. ROBIN. Black, belly white; sides chestnut; outer tail feathers, primaries, and inner secondaries with white; $ clear brown instead of black; L. 8J; W. 3£; T. 4. E. U. S., abundant every where. ' FAMILY XXXIV. — ICTERID^E. (The Orioles.} Primaries 9; bill with the commissure angulated, as in Fringillid(JB, but usually lengthened, rarely shorter than head, straight or gently curved, without notch or rictal bristles; culmen usually extending up on the forehead, dividing the frontal feathers. Legs stout, tarsus strictly oscine. Plumage usually brilliant or lustrous, predom inant color generally black, often with red or yellow; females usually different, smaller in size, brown or streaky in the lustrous species, and yellowish or dusky in the brightly colored ones. Notes usually sharp, often 'richly melodious, in other cases harsh. Genera about twenty, species one hundred, all Ameri can, some of the short-billed forms scarcely distinct from Frinyillidw; others are as closely related to StumidcB (Old World Starlings) and Corvidce. There are three sub-families, of which AgeloeinoB includes most of our species. Icterince includes Icterus, while Scolecophayw and Quiscalns belong to Quiscalince. I. Tail feathers rigid, acute; middle toe and claw longer than tarsus; black and whitish ($) or brownish, streaked (?); bill short, finch-like. . . ... DOLICHONYX, 1. II. Feathers of crown bristle-tipped ; tail short, its feathers acute ; yellow below, a black breast patch; bill long. STURNELLA,G. III. Lateral claws elongated; black or brown, yellow on head and neck : length more than 8. . . XANTHOCEPIIALUS, 4. IV. "With none of the above combinations of characters, * Length at least more than 7. ICTEBLD^E. — XXXIV, 91 f Bill horn-blue, very acute ; black or olivaceous, with orange or yellow. ICTERUS, 6. f f Bill blackish ; plumage every where streaked j usually a rusty tinge on throat and bend of wing. ? of AGEL^EUS, 3. fff Bill jet black; plumage in $ black, in ? duller, streaky, or plain brown. \ Glossy black ; bend of wing red, bordered by buffy and whitish $ of AGEL^SUS, 3. $ Black ; head and neck rich lustrous brown. $ Of MOLOTHRUS, 2. |H Iridescent black throughout ; wings scarcely longer than tail ; length more than 10. . QUISCALUS, 8. $$ Black, often obscured by brownish or rusty; no red or yellow ; wings longer than tail ; length 9 to 10. SCOLECOPIIAGUS, 7. ** Length less than 7. a. Dusky gray brown; bill blackish, shortened, finch-like. $ of MOLOTHRUS, 2. CM. Black with chestnut or orange (3), or else olive and yellow ish (?) ; bill acute, bluish or brown. . . ICTERUS, 6. /. DOLICHONYX, Swainson. BOBOLINKS. 1. D. oryzivorus, (L.) Sw." BOBOLINK. REED BIRD. RICE BIRD. £ in Spring black, neck buffy, shoulders and rump ashy white, back s.treaky; $ and fall $ yellowish brown, streaked above, — dull yellow birds, resembling sparrows but known by the acute tail feathers; L. 7^; W. 4; T. 3. E. U. S., abundant in meadows northward, where, in the breeding season, it is our merriest and most delightful songster. Retiring southward in the fall, it fattens in the rice swamps and becomes a "game bird." 2. MOLOTHRUS, Swainson. Cow BIRDS. 1. /Iff. ater, (Bodd.) Gray. Cow BIRD. $ iridescent black, head and neck glossy brown; $ much smaller. WZ BIRDS. dusky brown; L. ($) 8; W. 4; T. 3. U. S., abundant; noted for its parasitic habits. [M. pecoris (Gmel.), Sw.] 3. AGEL/EUS, Vieillot. RED-WING BLACK BIRDS. 1. A. phceniceus, (L.) V. RED -WINGED STARLING. SWAMP BLACK BIRD. $ glossy (not iridescent) black, lesser wing covers scarlet, with buffy and paler edgings; ? dusky, streaked; L. 9; W. 5; T. 4. U. S., every where abundant. 4. XANTHOCEPHALUS, Bonaparte. YELLOW- HEADED BLACK BIRDS. * 1. X. icterocepha/us, (Bon.) Baird. YELLOW - HEADED BLACK BIRD. $ black with white wing patch; head and neck rich yellow; $ smaller, browner, with less yellow; L. 10; W. 54; T. 44. Southwestern, E. to L. Michigan. 5. STURNELLA, Vieillot. MEADOW LARKS. 1. S. magna, (L.) Sw. MEADOW LARK. Brownish and much streaked above; chiefly yellow below, a black crescent on breast. L. 10; W. 5; T. 34- U. S.; very abundant. (S. neylecta. And., is the Western variety, Illinois S. and W., with " a much sweeter song," and some slight differences of plumage.) 6. ICTERUS, Brisson. AMERICAN ORIOLES. 1. /. baltimore, (L.) Daudin. BALTIMORE ORIOLE. GOLDEX ROBIN. FIRE BIRD. Black; bend of wing, rump, most tail feathers, and under parts from the breast orange of varying intensity; $ duller, olivaceous and yellow; L. 7f ; W. 3|; T. 3. E. U. S., abundant; noted for its elaborate hanging nest. 2. I. spur/us, (L.) Bon. ORCHARD ORIOLE. $ black; rump, bend of wing and lower parts deep chestnut; $ COKYID^E. — XXXV. 93 yellowish olive, quite small; young yellow, with various black or chestnut traces; L. 7; W. 3£; T. 3. E. U. S., rather southerly. 7. SCOLECOPHAGUS, Swainson. RUSTY BLACK BIRDS. 1. S. ferrugineus, (Gm.) Sw. RUSTY GRACKLE. RUSTY BLACK BIRD. $ glossy black and rusty in autumn; ? dusky, lustreless; bill slender; L. 9£; "W. 4f ; T. 4. E. U. S. 2. S. cya.nocepha.lus, (Wagl.) Cab. BREWER'S BLACK BIRD. 6 black with green lustre, head glossed with purple; ? dusky; L. 10; W. 5£; T. 4J. W., E. to Ills, and Wis. 8. QU/SCALUS,Vieil\ot. CROW BLACK BIRDS. 1. Q. purpureus, (Bartr.) Licht. CROW BLACK BIRD. PURPLE GRACKLE. Iridescent black, lustre on head purplish, on body bronzy; L. 13; W. 5£; T. 5£. E. U. S., abundant. FAMILY XXXV.— CORVIDJE. (The Crows- and Jays.} Primaries 10; first about half length of second; nostrils usually concealed by tufts of bristly feathers, which are branched to their tips. Bill long and strong, usually notched, commissure not angulated. Tarsus oscine, its sides undivided and separated from the scutella in front by a groove which is either naked or filled in with small scales. Voice usually harsh and unmusical. Birds of large size, the largest of the Oscines, found almost every where. Genera about forty; species one hundred and seventy -five. Our two sub - families, Corvince, the Crows, and GarrulinCB the Jays, are usually readily distinguishable. 94 BIRDS. * Tail much shorter than the long, pointed wings. (Cormnce.} f Plumage glossy black. ..... CORVUS, 1. ** Tail longer than the short, rounded wings. (Garrulmm.) \ Conspicuously crested ; chiefly blue ; quills black barred. CYANURUS, 3. ft Iridescent black and white; tail much longer than wings. PICA, 2. ffi. Chiefly gray, no blue; tail scarcely longer than wings. PERISOREUS, 4. /. CORVUS, Linnreus. RAVENS. 1. C. corax, L. RAVEN. Feathers of throat stiffened, elongated, narrow and lanceolate, their outlines very distinct; L. 25; W. 17; T. 10. N. Am., chiefly north and westward; rare E. of the Mississippi. Also European. (C. carnwoms, Bartr.) 2. C. americanus, Aud. CROW. Feathers of throat short, broad, obtuse, with their webs blended; gloss of plumage purplish violet; head and neck scarcely lus trous; L. 20; W. 13; T. 8. E. N. Am., chiefly eastward; abundant. (C. frugivorus, Bartr.) 3. C. ossifragus, Wilson. FISH CROW. Gloss of plumage green and violet, evident on head and neck; L. 1C; W. 11; T. 7. New England to Florida, chiefly southern, and found only along the coast. (C. maritimus, Bartr.) 2. PICA, Cuvier. MAGPIES. 1. P. me/ano/euca (Vieill.) var. hudsonica, (Sab.) Coues. MAGPIE. Lustrous black; belly, shoulders, and wing- edgings white; L. 19; W. 8£; T. 13, much graduated. Western, E. to L. Michigan. 3. CYANURUS, Swainson. BLUE JAYS. 1. C. cristatus, (L.) Sw. BLUE JAY. Blue; collar and frontlet black; grayish below; wings and tail clear .— XXXVI. 95 blue-barred ; outer tail feathers and secondaries tipped with white; L. 12; W. 5£; T. 5f. N. E. Am., abundant. 4. PERISOREUS, Bonaparte. GKAY JAYS. 1. P. canadensis, (L.) Bon. CANADA JAY. WHISKEY JACK. Ashy gray with blackish and whitish markings; L. 10f ; W. 5f ; T. 6. Northern, S. to New England in Winter. FAMILY XXXVL— TYRAlJNIDjE. (The Flycatchers) Primaries 10; first more than f- length of second, and one or more of them often attenuate ; bill broad, triangu lar, depressed, abruptly hooked and notched at tip, with long rictal bristles; commissure nearly straight; nostrils small, usually partly concealed. Tarsus "clamatorial," the scutella extending around its back. Feet small, for perching. Mouth capacious; notes simple, often pleas ant; changes of plumage slight; ours mostly olivaceous. A large family of eighty genera, and more than three hundred species; all American and mostly tropical. All are insectivorous, most of them pre-eminently so; they are, therefore, in our latitude, migratory. * First primaries evidently attenuate ; crown with concealed bright red or yellow crest (in adult). f Tail widely forked, about twice as long as wings. MlLVULUS, 1. ft Tail nearly even, shorter than wings. . . TYRANNUS, 2. ** First primaries not obviously attenuate ; crown plain, some times crested. \ Wings edged with chestnut, not much longer than tail ; length 8 or more ....... MYIARCHUS, 3. \\ Wings not chestnut-edged, not much longer than tail ; tarsus longer than middle toe and claw; bill black; length 6| to 7| ......... SAYORNIS, 4. 96 BIBDS. Jtt Wings loDger than tail; tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw; bill not all black; length 6 or more. CONTOPUS, 5. fflft Wings not much longer than tail ; middle toe and claw not longer than tarsus; bill mostly pale below; length o± or less EMPIDOINAX, 6. /. MILVULUS, Swainson. FORK -TAILED FLYCATCHERS. 1. Ml. forficatus, (Gm.) Sw. SCISSOR - TAIL. Ashy, tail, shoulders, sides, etc., with much red; L. 13; W. 5; T. 8. S. W., N. to Kansas, straying to New Jersey. 2. M. tyrannus, (L.) Bon. FORK - TAILED FLYCATCHER. Larger, no red, tail still more elongate. Tropical, stray ing to N. J. and La. 2. TYRANNUS, Cuvier. KING BIRDS. 1. T. carolinensis, (L.) Baird. KING BIRD. BEE MARTIN. Blackish ash, white below; tail black, white - tipped; L. 8£; W. 4J; T. 3J-. U. S., chiefly eastward; abundant. " Destroys a thousand noxious insects for every bee it eats!" (Coues.) 2. T. verticalis, Say. ARKANSAS FLYCATCHER. Belly yellow; tail white-edged. Western, straying to N. J. 3. MYIARCHUS, Cabanis. CRESTED FLYCATCHERS. 1. till, crinitus, (L.) Cab. GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER. . Scarcely crested; olivaceous,, yellow below, with bright chestnut on wings and tail; L. 8f; W. 4; T. 4. E, U. S.. chiefly southerly, N. to N. Wis. A handsome bird, "noted for the habitual use of cast-off snake skins in the structure of its nest." 4. SAYORNIS, Bonaparte. PEWEES. 1. S. fuse us, (Gm.) Baird. PEWEB. PIKEBE. PEWIT. Olive brown, head and tail darker; yellow below, more . — XXXVI. 97 or less; L. 7; W. 3£; T. 3J. E. U. S., abundant; known by its black bill. 5. CONTOPUS, Cabanis. WOOD PEWEES. 1. C. borealis, (Sw.) Baird. OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. Rictal bristles short, one-fourth length of bill; tuft of white cottony feathers on sides very conspicuous; middle line of belly distinctly and abruptly white; otherwise olive brown, paler or yellowish below; L. 7-J-; W. 4^-; T. 3. Northern, S. to N. Y. 2. C. virens, (L.) Cab. WOOD PEWEE. Rictal bristles half length of bill; cottony tuft inconspicuous; wing bands whitish or rusty; olive brown above; pale or yellowish below; lower mandible usually pale; L. 6^; W. 3£; T. 3. U. S., very abundant. 3. C. richardsoni, (Sw.) Bd. WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. Darker; bill dusky below. N. W., E. toWis.; nearly like the preceding, but the notes and nesting different. 6, EMPIDONAX, Cabanis. LEAST FLYCATCHERS. 1. E. acadicus, (Gm.) Baird. SMALL GREEN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER. Clear olive green, wing bands buffy; whitish becoming yellowish below; yellowish ring about eyes; bill pale below; primaries nearly an inch longer than secondaries; 2d, 3d and 4th primaries nearly equal, and much longer than 1st and 5th; 1st much longer than 6th; L. 6; W.^3; T. 2f; Ts. f ; Tel. \. E. U. S., frequent. 2. E. iraillii, (Aud.) Baird. TRAILL'S FLYCATCHER. Olive brown, duller than preceding; bill pale below; 5th primary about as long as 4th, 1st not much longer than 6th; middle toe f length of tarsus; longest primary f inch longer than secondaries; L. 5f ; W. 2£; T. 2J; Ts. f ; Tel. f. U. S. 5 9« BIRDS. 3. E. minimus, Baird. LEAST FLYCATCHER. Olive gray; bill blackish below; wings like preceding, but longest primary but J inch longer than secondaries; middle toe half as long as tarsus; bill less than -J inch; L. 5; W. 2i; T. 2±. E. N. Am., abundant. 4. E. flaviventris, Baird. YELLOW-BELLIED FLY- CATCHEK. Clear olive green; yellow below, becoming bright yellow (not merely yellowish as in the others) on the belly; first primary about equal to sixth; feet as in acadicus; bill yellow below; L. 5J; W. 2f; T. 2£. E. U. S. OEDEE H.-PICAELE. (Picarian Birds.} Hind toe small, sometimes wanting, occasionally ele vated; its claw shorter than that of middle toe (with rare exceptions); 3d and 4th toes often with less than the normal number of joints; 2d and 4th toes sometimes versatile. Wing coverts larger and in more numerous series than in the Passeres. Primaries 10, first rarely short; tail feathers 10 (8 to 12). Musical apparatus imperfect. Sternum non-passerine. Tarsus never oscine. Nature altricial. A highly diversified group, the mem bers of which have little in common except their want of resemblance to other birds. FAMILY XXXVII.— CAPRIMULGID^J. (The Goatsuckers.} Bill very short, " fissirostral," the gape exceedingly deep and wide, reaching to below the eyes, and usually with prominent rictal bristles. Wings long and pointed; secondaries lengthened. Plumage long and loose, owl- like. Tail feathers 10. Feet very small; tarsus short, CYPSELID^E. — XXXVIII. 99 partly feathered; toes slightly webbed at base, the hind toe somewhat elevated. Genera fourteen; species one hundred or more, widely diffused; chiefly insectivorous. * Tail rounded ; rictal bristles very long. . ANTROSTOMUS, 1. ** Tail forked ; rictal bristles inconspicuous. . CHORDEILES, 2. /. ANTROSTOMUS, Gould. WHIPPOORWILLS. 1. A. vociferus, (Wils.) Bon. WHIPPOORWILL. NIGHT JAR. Grayish, much variegated; pectoral bar and ends of outer tail feathers white ($) or tawny ($); rictal bristles unbranched; L. 10; W. 6; T. 5. E. U. S., abundant, nocturnal; noted for its "solemn and pro phetic" cry. 2. A. carolinensis, (Gm.) Gould. CHUCKWILL'S WIDOW. More reddish; rictal bristles with lateral filaments; L. 12; W. 9; T. 6£. Southern, N. to Ills. (Nelson.) 2. CHORDEILES, Swainson. NIGHT HAWKS. 1. C. virginianus, (Gm.) Bon. NIGHT HAWK. BULL BAT. Blackish, variegated; a large wing spot, bar across tail, and V-shaped blotch on throat — white in $, tawny or obscure in ?; L. 9£; W. 8; T. 5. U. S.; abundant. [C.popetue^ (Vieill.) Bd.] FAMILY XXXVIIL— CYPSELIDJS. (The Swifts.) Bill fissirostral, as in Caprimulgidce and Hirundinidce. Wings very long, thin and pointed; secondaries very short. Feet small, weak; hind toe often elevated or otherwise turned; toes completely cleft. No rictal bristles. Tail feathers 10; plumage compact. In most species the salivary glands are highly developed, and their secretion is used as a glue in the construction of 100 BIRDS. the nest; species of Collocalia thus form the edible bird's nest. Small birds of the warmer parts of the world, bearing a superficial resemblance to Swallows, but structurally very different, being closely related to the Humming Birds. Genera six or eight; species about fifty. * Tarsus bare, longer than middle toe; tail feathers with the shafts spinous, projecting beyond the plumage. CH^ETURA, 1. /. CH/ETURAr Stephens. CHIMNEY SWALLOWS. 1. C. pelagica, (L.) Baird. CHIMNEY SWIFT. Sooty brown; throat paler; L. 5£; W. 5; T. 2. E. U. S., abundant. FAMILY XXXIX. — TROCHILID^E. ( The Humming Birds.) Bill subulate, usually longer than the head, straight or curved; tongue capable of great protrusion. Wings long and pointed, the secondaries short, only six in number; tail of ten feathers. Feet very small, with sharp claws. Smallest of all birds and among the most brilliantly colored. Genera seventy -five; species three hundred or more, thus forming one of the largest families in Ornithology. All are American, and most of them tropical, but our common species ranges far into British America. * First primary not attenuate, bowed or curved inwards. TROCHILUS, 1. /. TROCHILUS, Linnaeus. RUBY - THROATED HUMMING BIRDS. 1. T. colubris, L. RUBY - THROATED HUMMING BIRD. $ metallic green above; a ruby -red gorget; tail deeply forked, uniform purplish; $ without red, the tail vari- CUCULHXE. — XLI. 101 egated; L. 3i; W. If; T. li; B. f. E. N, Am.; abundant in summer. FAMILY XL. — ALCEDINID^E. (The Kingfishers.) Head large; bill long, straight and strong, usually longer than head; gape deep, tomia not serrate. Wings long; tail short. Legs quite small; feet syndactyle — the outer and middle toes united to their middle, a con tinuous sole beneath; tibia naked below. Tail feathers twelve. Species about one hundred, chiefly of the tropical parts of the Old World and Australia. Many of them feed upon fishes, and nearly all are remarkable for their brilliant coloration. * Head crested. CERYLE, 1. /. CERYLE, Boie. KINGFISHEES. > Ispida, Swainson. 1. C. alcyon, (L.) Boie. BELTED KINGFISHER. Ashy blue above, a bluish band across breast; white below; $ with sides and band across belly chestnut; tail barred with white; L. 13; W. 6; T. 3£; B. 2, or more. N. Am.; everywhere. FAMILY XLL— CUCULID^E. (The Cuckoos.) Bill compressed, lengthened, decurved; usually with out rictal bristles or nasal tufts. Tail long and soft, of eight to twelve feathers. Tongue not extensible. Feet zygodactyle, by reversion of fourth toe. Species about two hundred, in various parts of the world. * Plumage lustrous olive gray or drab ; arboreal. COCCYGUS, 1. 102 BIRDS. /. COCCYGUS, Vieillot. AMERICAN CUCKOOS. 1. C. americanus, (L.) Bon. YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. Bill yellow below ; wings with much cinnamon red ; middle tail feathers like the back; outer ones black with broad white tips; L. 12; W. 5£; T. 6. U. S. 2. C. erythrophthalmus, (Wils.) Baird. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. Bill chiefly black ; wings with little or no reddish; tail feathers all brownish, obscurely whitish at tips; L. Hi; W. 5; T. 6±. E. U. S. FAMILY XLIL — PICID^E. (The Woodpeckers.) Bill stout, usually straight, with the tip truncate or acute, fitted for hammering or boring into wood. Tongue long, flattish, barbed, capable of great protrusion, adapted for sec -ig insects (except in Sphyrapicus)\ hyoid appa ratus peculiar, its horns generally quite long, curving around the skull behind. Feet zygodactylo, outer toe permanently reversed; hind toe present (except in Pico- ides] ; claws comr^essed, sharp and strong. Tail feathers 12, rigid and aci inate, outer pair short, concealed; tail never forked; nasal tufts usually present. Chiefly arboreal; all (except Sphyrapicus, which is truly a " Sap-Sucker,") are pre-eminently insectivorous and hence they are of the greatest service to the farmer. Voice loud and often harsh. Colors generally bright, the male at least having almost always red on the head; sexes usually slightly different. Species two hundred and fifty, abundant almost every where. * Conspicuously crested ; length 18 or more. - Bill and nasal feathers dark. . HYLOTOMUS, 1. — Bill and nasal feathers pale. . CAMPEPHILUS, 2. ** Not crested ; toes 3 only, hallux wanting. . PICOIDES, 4. *** Not crested ; toes 4, length less than 14. PICID^E. — xLn. 103 f Tongue obtuse, brushy ; ridges on upper mandible running into the toinia ; belly with some yellow. SPHYRAPICUS, 5. ff Tongue acute, barbed; ridges on sides of upper mandible reaching the tip ; no yellow ; quills (in ours) with round white spots ........ Picus, 3. fff Tongue acute, barbed ; ridges on sides of upper mandible wanting or indistinct. \ Back barred. a. Belly with round black spots ; feathers of wings and tail yellow or orange beneath. . . COLAPTES, 8. aa. Belly unspotted, tinged with red or yellow ; no yellow on quills ....... CENTURUS, 6. U Back not barred ; body lustrous blue-black ; rump,. second aries, and under parts white ; head and neck red in adults, grayish in young. . . . MELANERPES, 7. /. HYLOTOMUS, Baird. BLACK WOODCOCKS. 1. H. pileatus, (L.) Baird. PILEATED WOODPECKER. LOGCOCK. Black; white streak down neck; crest and cheek patch scarlet in <$; cheeks and front of crest black in ?, L. 18; W. 9£; T. 7. N. Am.; in heavy timber. 2. CAMPEPHIL US, Gray. IVORY - BILLED WOODPECKERS. 1. 0. prlncipalis, (L.) Gray. GREAT IVORY -BILLED WOODPECKER. Black with white markings; crest scarlet in 3, black in ?; L. 21; W. 11; T. 8. Southern, N. to S. Ills. 3. PIOUS, Linnasus. SPOTTED WOODPECKERS. 1. P. borealis, Vieill. RED • COCKADED WOODPECKER. Black and white, spotted and crosswise banded, but not streaked; a red line on each side of head in <3; L. 8^; W. 4-J-; T. 3^. Southern States in swamps, N. to Penn. 2. P. villosus, L. HAIRY WOODPECKER. BIG SAP- SUCKER. Spotted and lengthwise streaked, but not 104 BIRDS. banded; back black with a long white stripe; outer tail feathers wholly white; L. 9; W. 5; T. 3£; a scarlet nuchal band in $ only. U. S.; everywhere. 3. P. pubescens, L. DOWNY WOODPECKER. LITTLE SAP- SUCKER. Much smaller; outer tail feathers black and white, barred, otherwise precisely like the other; L. 6|; W. 3f; T. 2f . U. S.; every where. 4. PICOIDES, Lacepede. THREE - TOED WOODPECKERS. 1. P. arcticus, (Sw.) Gray. BLACK -BACKED WOOD PECKER. Black and white; crown yellow in <$, plain in $; back uniform black; L. 9; W. 5; T. 3f. Northern, 5. to U. S. in winter. 2. P. americanus, Brehm. BANDED THREE- TOED WOODPECKER. Back with a white lengthwise stripe; otherwise as above; L. 8; W. 4^; T. 3^. Arctic, S. in winter to New England. 5. SPHYRAPICUS, Baird. SAP-SUCKING WOODPECKERS. 1. S. varius, (L.) Baird. YELLOW-BELLIED WOOD PECKER. Black and white above ; black on breast ; chiefly yellowish below; white wing patch; crown red in adult, chin scarlet in 3; L. 8J; W. 4|; T. 3J. U. S., abundant. 6. CENTURUS, Swainson. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS. 1. C. carolinus, (L.) Bon. RED -BELLIED WOOD PECKER. Grayish, much barred above with black and white; crown and nape crimson in £, crown ashy in $, belly reddish-tinged; L. 9f ; W. 5; T. 3±. E. U. S., rather southerly; N. to N. Wis. 7. MELANERPES, Swainson. RED -HEADED WOOD PECKERS. 1. M. erythrocephalus, (L.) Sw. RED-HEADED WOOD- ARIOSE. — XLIII. 105 PECKER. L. 9; W. 5^; T. 3J. U. S., E. of the Rocky Mts.; abundant. 8. COLAPTES, Swainson. FLICKERS. 1. C. auratus, (L.) Sw. GOLDEN - WINGED WOOD PECKER. HIGH - HOLER. YARUP. Head ashy, with red nuchal crescent; back olivaceous, barred with black; rump white; below pinkish brown shading into yellowish, a black crescent on breast and numerous round black spots; shafts and under surfaces of quills golden yellow; $ with a black maxillary patch; L. 12£; W. 6; T. 4f E. U. S., abundant. Var. mex/canus, (Sw.) Snow. RED- SHAFTED FLICKER. Quills with orange red instead of golden; maxillary patches in $ red instead of black; no nuchal crescent; no yellowish on belly. Western, E. to Kas., etc. Runs into the preceding, through C. hybridus, Baird. ORDER L-PSITTAOL (The Parrots.) Bill enormously thick, cered at base and strongly hooked. Feet zygodactyle by reversion of outer toe, tarsus reticulate. Tongue short, fleshy; upper jaw un usually movable. Altricial. Plumage often brilliant. In all warm regions; species three hundred and fifty-four, nearly half of which are American. FAMILY XLIIL— ARID^E. (The Macaws) Parrots with the head not crested, and the tail long, wedge-shaped or graduated. (Baird.) * Culmen rounded ; face entirely feathered except a curve about the eye ; tail shorter than wings. . . CONUKUS, 1 106 BIRDS. /. CONURUS, Kuhl. PARROQUETS. 1. C. carolinensis, (L.) Kuhl. CAROLINA PARROQUET. Green; head and neck yellow; face red; wings with blue and yellow; bill white; L. 13; W. ?i; T. 6. Southwest ern, formerly N. to the Great Lakes; now nearly exter minated. OEDEE J.-EAPTOEES. (The Birds of Prey.) Bill powerful, cered at base, strongly hooked at the end. Feet never zygodactyle ; fourth toe sometimes versatile; claws long and sharp; hind toe well developed, rarely elevated ; tibia, and often tarsus, feathered. Primaries 10; tail feathers 12 (with rare exceptions). Altricial, but young downy at birth. Carnivorous birds, generally of large size and great strength, found in every part of the world. FAMILY XLIV.— STRIGID^E. (The Owls.) Head very large, shortened lengthwise and greatly expanded laterally; the eyes directed forwards and partly surrounded by a disk of radiating feathers of peculiar texture; loral feathers antrorse, long and dense; feathers on the sides of forehead often elongated into ear - like tufts. Plumage very soft and lax, rendering the flight almost noiseless; its colors blended and mottled so as to render minute description difficult. External ear very large, often provided with a movable flap. Outer toe versatile; claws very sharp, long and strong. Eggs nearly , spherical, pure white. Chiefly nocturnal. Sexes colored alike, $ usually the larger. Owls are found in every part of the globe, and most of the species have a STKIGID^E. — XLIV. 107 wide range. Their habits are so well known that I need not dwell upon them here. Genera about forty; species one hundred and fifty. * Tarsus naked or scant -feathered, facial disk perfect; no ear- tufts; middle claw pectinate; iris black. . STRIX, 1. ** Tarsus fully feathered, f Head with evident " ear-tufts ;" iris yellow. \. Tail about f of wing ; bill blackish ; length more than 18. BUBO, 6. $ Tail about half length of wing ; length less than 18. a. Bill pale ; length less than 12. ... SCOPS, 5. aa. Bill dark ; length more than 12. . . . OTUS, 2. ff Head without evident " ear-tufts." 6. Tail about i length of wing; iris yellow; length less than 12 - NYCTALE, 4. 5&. Tail about f of wing ; length 18 or more. c. Pure white, with dark markings ; toes concealed by long feathers ; facial disk incomplete ; bill black ; iris yellow. NYCTEA, 7. cc. Grayish, much barred ; facial disk complete ; bill yellow ; iris black or yellow. .... SYRNIUM, 3. bbb. Tail about £ of wing ; bill yellow ; iris yellow ; length about 16 SURNIA, 8. *** Tarsus long, sparsely bristly; facial disk imperfect; middle claw simple SPEOTYTO, 9. /. STRIX, Linmeus. BARN OWLS. 1. S. flammea, (L.) var. pratincola, (Bon.) Ridg. BARN OWL. Face elongated; reddish or tawny, much vari egated; L. 17; W. 13; T. 5J. U. S., rather southerly. 2. OTUS, Cuvier. EARED OWLS. 1. 0. vulgaris, (L.) var. wilsonianus, (Less.) Allen. LONG -EARED OWL. Ear tufts well developed, of 8 to 108 BIRDS. 12 feathers; outer primary only emarginate; much variegated; L. 15; W. 12; T. 6. U. S. 2. 0. brachyotus, (Gm.) Steph. SHORT -EARED OWL. Ear tufts small and inconspicuous; two outer primaries emarginate; L. 15; W. 12; T. 6. U. S. and Europe. (Brachyotus palustris, Auct.) 3. SYRNIUM, Savigny. BARRED OWLS. * Iris black ; 5 outer primaries emarginate. (Syrnium.) 1. S. nebulosum, (Forst.) Boie. BARRED OWL. Toes not concealed; olive brown, barred with white above; breast barred; belly streaked; L. 18; W. 14; T. 9. E. N. Am., common. ** Iris yellow; 6 outer primaries emarginate. (Scotiaptex.) 2. S. cinereum, (Gmel.) Aud. GREAT GRAY OWL. Toes concealed by long feathers; cinereous brown above, waved with white; breast streaked, belly barred; largest of all our owls; L. 30; W. 18; T. 12. Northern, S. in winter to N. States. 4. NYCTALE, Brehm. SPARROW OWLS. 1. N. tengmalmii, Gm. var. richardsonii, (Bon.) Ridg. TEXGMALM'S OWL. Nostrils sunken, elongated, opening laterally; tail more than half wing; general color choco late brown, variegated; L. 10; W. 7£; T. 4£. Northern, S. to N. U. S. 2. N. acadica, (Gm.) Bon. SAW- WHET OWL. Nos trils prominent, nearly circular, opening anteriorly; L. 8; W. 5£ ; T. 2f. U. S., rather northerly. 5. SCOPS, Savigny. SCREECH OWLS. 1. 5. as/o, (L.) Bon. SCREECH OWL. RED OWL. Grayish, speckled and barred, or else with the grayish replaced by bright reddish; these two different styles of FALCONID^J. — XLV. 109 plumage bearing no relation to age, sex or season; L. 10; W. 7; T. 3£. U. S., abundant. 6. BUBO, Dumeril. GREAT HORNED OWLS. 1. B. virginianus, (Gm.) Bon. GREAT HORNED OWL. Black, gray and buffy, variously mottled and barred; usually a whitish half-collar; ear tufts large, their feathers mostly black; L. 22; W. 16; T. 10. U. S., abundant; one of the strongest and most untamable of the Owls. 7. NYCTEA, Stephens. GREAT SNOW OWLS. 1. N. scand/aca, (L.) Newt. SNOWY OWL. Pure white, more or less barred with blackish; L. 23; W. 17; T. 10. Northern, S. in Winter; one of the handsomest of Owls. (IV. nivea^ Auct.) 8. SURNIA, Dumeril. HAWK OWLS. 1. S. ulula, (L.) Bon., var. hudsonica, (Gm.) Ridg. HAWK OWL. DAY OWL. Brown, much speckled and barred; L. 16; W. 9; T. 7. Northern, S. to Wis. and Mass. 9. SPEOTYTO, Gloger. BURROWING OWLS. 1. S. -cunicularia, (Mol.) var. hypogcea, (Bon.) Coues. BURROWING OWL. Brownish, much spotted and varie gated. L. 10; W. 7|; T. 4. Fla. and Western Plains, living in the holes of prairie dogs. FAMILY XLV. — FALCONID^E. (The Falcons.) Eyes lateral, eyelids provided with lashes, usually a projecting bony eyebrow; no complete facial disk. Toes always naked, and usually tarsus also ; hind toe not elevated. Head fully feathered (except in the Old World 110 BIRDS. ) no ear tufts. Base of stout, strongly hooked bill, not hidden by feathers. Claws very strong and sharp. Plumage usually of blended colors, barred or streaked; changes considerable; $ usually the larger. Genera fifty, species three hundred, abounding every where. Their habits are too well known to require description here. I. Tarsus feathered to the toes. a. Tarsus entirely feathered ; tail 12 or more. . AQUILA, 12. aa. Tarsus with a narrow uufeathered strip behind ; tail less than 12 ....... ARCHIBUTEO, 11. II. Tarsus reticulate all around. b. Upper mandible toothed ; under notched ; nostrils circular. FALCO, 1. bb. Tail widely forked; outer feather twice as long as middle ones ; colors black and white. . . NAUCLERUS, 3. bbb. Claws all of same length, rounded beneath ; tibial feathers close ; plumage compact, without after shafts. PANDION, 2. bbbb. Tail emarginate, and outer feather not longer than middle ; head and tail white in adult. . . . ELANUS, 5. III. Tarsus scutellate in front only (occasionally "booted.") c. Toes not webbed at all ; neck feathers lanceolate, white in adult. . . . . . HALIAETUS, 13. cc. Toes somewhat webbed at base. d. Nostrils circular; tail less than £ length of wing. ICTINIA, 4. dd. Nostrils oval ; tail more than I length of wing. e. Tarsus feathered about half way down in front, the feathers scarcely separated behind. . ASTUR, 7. ee. Tarsus feathered less than one-third down in front, the feathers widely separated behind. . ACCIFITEK, 8. IV. Tarsus scutellate in front and behind. /. Face with a slight ruff; tarsus twice length of middle toe; upper tail coverts white ..... CIRCUS, 6. ff. No ruff; 3 or 4 outer primaries einargiuate ; rump not white. BUTEOj 10. FALCONID^E. — XLV. Ill fff. No ruff; 4 primaries emarginate ; tail coverts white ; tail black. ASTURINA, 9. /. FALCO, Linnaeus. FALCONS. * First primary only emarginate on inner web ; 2cl longest, 1st shorter than 4th ; tarsal plates small ; sexes colored alike. f Tarsus not longer than middle toe, scarcely feathered below joint. (Falco.) 1. F. communis, Gm. PEREGRINE FALCON. DUCK HAWK. Blackish ash with paler waves; below whitish, barred; black cheek patches; L. 16; W. 13; T. 7. U. S., not common. ff Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw, feathered for some distance. (Hierofalco, Cuv.) 2. F. sacer, Forst. GYRFALCON. Tarsus feathered half way down, with only a bare strip behind; white or ashy with dark markings; L. 24; W. 16; T. 10. Northern regions of both continents; var. islandicus, S. to U. S. in winter. (F. gyrfalco, L.) 3. F. mexicanus, Licht. . LANIER FALCON. Tarsus feathered -J- way down; general color brown; L. 18; W. 14; T. 8. S. W., E. to Ills. ** Two primaries emarginate,- tarsal plates enlarged in front, appearing like scutella. \ Tarsus about equal to middle toe; basal joints of toes without transverse scutella. (^SUsalon, Kaup.) 4. F. columbarius, L. PIGEON HAWK. AMERICAN MERLIN. Ashy blue or blackish above, variegated below; L. 13; W. 8; T. 5. U. S. Ji Tarsus longer than middle toe ; basal joints of toes with transverse scutella. (Tinnunculus, Vieill.) 5. F. sparser/us, L. SPARROW HAWK. RUSTY - CROWNED FALCON. Back tawny; wings bluish and black; seven black blotches about head; tail chestnut, 112 BIRDS. with a broad black band in $, and a narrow terminal one of white; below white or tawny; L. 11; W. 7; T. 5. U. S., abundant. 2. PANDION, Savigny. OSPEEYS. 1. P. haliaetus, (L.) Savigny. OSPREY. FISH HAWK. Dark brown; head, neck and under parts mostly white; feet very large; L. 24; W. 20; T. 10. U. S.; feeds on fishes. 3. NAUCLERUS, Vigors. SWALLOW -TAILED KITES. 1. N. furcatus, (L.) Vig. SWALLOW - TAILED KITE. Lustrous black; head, neck and lower parts white; W. 17; T. 14. Southern, N. to Penn. and Minn. 4. ICTINIA, Vieillot. BLUE KITES. 1. I. subcceru/eus, (Bart.) Coues. MISSISSIPPI KITE. Chiefly lead blue, wings with chestnut; L. 15; W. 12; T. 6J. Southern, N. to Penn. and Wis. (T. mississip- piensis, Auct.) 5. ELANUS, Savigny. WHITE-TAILED KITES. 1. E. g/aucuSf (Bartr.) Coues. BLACK - SHOULDERED KITE. L. 17. Southern, N. to S. Ills. (E. leucurus, Auct.) 6. CIRCUS, Lacepede. MARSH HARRIERS. 1. C. cyaneus (L.) var. hudsonius, (L.) Coues. MARSH HARRIER. Pale bluish or brown; rump and under parts whitish; L. 18; W. 15; T. 9. N. Am., abundant. 7. ASTUR, Lacepede. GOSHAWKS. 1. A. palumbarius, (L.) var. atricapillus, (Wils.) Coues. GOSHAWK. Slate blue with white superciliary stripe; tail with four dark bars; L. 24; W. 14; T. 11. Northern, S. to U. S. in winter. FALCONID^E. — XLV. 113 8. ACCIPITER, Brisson. HAWKS. = Nisus, Cuvier. 1. A. fuscus, vGm.) Bon. SHARP - SHINNED HAWK. " PIGEON HAWK." Bare portion of tarsus in front, longer than middle toe; tarsus "booted" in <$; general color dark brown; L. 12; W. 7; T. 6. U. S., abundant. 2. A. cooperi, Bon. CHICKEN HAWK. Bare tarsus shorter than middle toe; L. 18; W. 10; T. 8. N. Am. 9. ASTURINA, Vieillot. GEAY HAWKS. 1. A. nitida, (Lath.) var. plagiata, (Schl.) Coues. GRAY HAWK. L. 18; W. 10; T. 7-J-. Mexican, straying to S. Ills. 10. BUTEO, Cuvier. BUZZARDS. * 4 outer primaries emarginate on inner web. (Buteo.) 1. B. borealis, (Gm.) Vieill. HEN HAWK. RED-TAILED BUZZARD. Dark brown; much barred and streaked; tail bright chestnut red above; L. 23; W. 15£; T. 8£. U. S., common. 2. B. lineatus, (Gm.) Jard. RED - SHOULDERED BUZ ZARD. Dark reddish brown, variegated; bend of wing orange brown; L. 22; W. 14; T. 9. Smaller than the preceding, although nearly as long. E. N. Am., abundant. ** 3 outer primaries emarginate on inner web. (Craxirex, Gould.) 3. B. swa/nsoni, Bon. SWAINSON'S BUZZARD. Gray, variously streaked, usually a dark area on throat and breast; tail with six or more narrow dark bars; variable; L. 20; W. 16; T. 8£. Western; E. to Ind. and Mass. 4. B. pennsylvanicus, (Wils.) Bon. BROAD -WINGED HAWK. Brown above, whitish or fulvous below, variously streaked and barred; conspicuous dark cheek patches; tail with broad dark bands alternating with narrower 114 BIKDS. pale ones, white -tipped; L. 18; W. 11; T. 7. E. U. S.; a stout, handsome, though small hawk. //. ARCHIBUTEO, Brehm. SQUIRREL HAWKS. 1. A. lagopus, (Brunn.), var. sancti -johannis, (Gm.) Ridg. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. BLACK HAWK. Chiefly whitish but sometimes entirely black; L. 24; W. 18; T. 10. N. Am. 12. AQUILA, Mohring. GOLDEN EAGLES. 1. A. chrysaetus, (L.) GOLDEN EAGLE. Glossy purplish brown; head and neck golden brown; quills blackish; L. 36; W. 25; T. 16. N. Am., chiefly northerly. 13. HALIAETUS, Savigny. BALD EAGLES. 1. H. leucocephalus, (L.) Savigny. BALD EAGLE. Dark brown; head, neck and tail white (after the third year); L. 36; W. 25; T. 14. N. Am., every where; feeds on fishes. "A piratical parasite of the Osprey, otherwise notorious as the emblem of the Republic." (Coues.) FAMILY XL VI. — CATHARTID^E. (The New World Vultures.) Head and part of neck bare. Eyes lateral, not over hung; ears small. Bill lengthened, weak and but little hooked; nostrils perforate. Wings very long and strong, giving a strength and grace of flight scarcely excelled. Hind toe short, and elevated; front toes long, some what webbed, with rather weak and straightish claws. Large turkey -like raptores, without the strength and spirit. of the hawks and owls; " voracious and indiscrimi nate gormandizers of carrion and animal refuse of all sorts, hence efficient and almost indispensable scavengers in the warm countries where they abound." (Coues.) CATHAKTID^E. — XLVI. 115 Two species, the Condor and the California Vulture, are among the largest birds of flight in the world. All are American, the Old World Vultures ( Vultfurinos) being Vulture -like hawks. Genera five; species six or eight. * Wings very long, primaries reaching to end of tail or farther; skin of neck not corrugated ; a tuft of bristles in front of eye RHINOGRYPHUS, 1. ** Wings short, scarcely reaching middle of tail ; skin of neck corrugated ; no bristles in front of eye. . CATHAHISTA, 2. /. RHINOGRYPHUS, Ridgway. TURKEY BUZZARDS. < CatharteS) Illiger. 1. R. aura, (L.) Ridg. TURKEY BUZZARD. Black, lustrous above; skin of head and neck red; L. 30; W. 22; T. 12. N. Am., abundant, southward. 2. C ATM ARISTA, Vieillot. CARRION CROWS. 1. C. atrata, (Bartr.) Gray. CARRION CROW. Uniform dull black; L. 24; W. 17; T. 8. N. C. to Mexico; rarely straying northward. ORDER K-COLtTMB*E. (The Doves.) Bill straight, compressed, the homy tip separated by a constriction from the soft part. Nostrils opening beneath a soft, tumid membrane. Frontal feathers sweeping in a strongly convex outline across base of upper mandible; tomife meeting. Hind toe on a level with the rest (except in Stamoenas, etc.), the others usually not webbed. Tarsus mostly scutellate in front, elsewhere reticulate, the plates soft. Head small. 116 BIBDS. Plumage soft, compact, the feathers very loosely inserted. Altricial; monogamous. . FAMILY XL VII.— COLUMBINE. ( The Doves.) Wings long, pointed. Tail never forked, of 12 or 14 feathers; male with the neck iridescent. Species about three hundred, found in most regions, but most abundant in the East Indies. Besides the following, quite a num ber of species occur in the Southern States. The com mon domesticated dove (Colutnba livici) is a fair type of the family. * Tarsus feathered at the suffrage, shorter than the lateral toes ; tail very long, wedge-shaped, of 12 feathers. ECTOPISTES, 1. ** Tarsus entirely bare, longer than the lateral toes, f Tail long, pointed, of 14 feathers ; length more than 10. ZEN^EDURA, 2. ff Tail short, rounded, of 12 feathers ; length less than 8. CHAM/EPELIA, 3. /. ECTOPISTES, Swainson. PASSENGER PIGEONS. 1. E. migrator/us, (L.) Sw. WILD PIGEON. Bluish with reddish and violet tinges, reddish below; L. 17; W. 7£; T. 8. N. A., abundant; gregarious. 2. ZENSEDURA, Bonaparte. MOURNING DOVES. 1. Z. carolinensis, (L.) Bon. MOURNING DOVE. TURTLE DOVE. CAROLINA DOVE. Brownish olive, glossed with blue and wine color; plumage with metallic lustre; L. 12; W. 5f; T. 6|. U. S., abundant. 3. CHAMMPELIA, Swainson. GROUND DOVES. 1. .C passerina, (L.) Sw. GROUND DOVE. Grayish olive, with bluish gloss; L. 6J; W. 3£; T. 2f. Southern, N. to Washington, D.C. MELEAGBID^E. — XLVIII. 117 OBDEE L.-GALLIK^E. (The Gallinaceous Birds.) Bill short, stout, convex, horny, not constricted; nostrils scaled or feathered, cutting edge of upper mandible over lapping. Head often partly or wholly naked, sometimes with fleshy processes. Legs moderate, stout; hind toe elevated (excepting in Cracidce, etc.), smaller than the other toes, sometimes wanting. Tarsus broadly scutellate (sometimes feathered), occasionally spurred in the males; claws blunt, not much curved. Wings short, strong, con cave; tail various, sometimes wanting, often immensely developed. Precocial, often polygamous. A large order comprising the various kinds of domesti cated fowl as well as the chief game birds of most countries. FAMILY XLVIII. — MELEAGRIDJE. (The Turkeys.) Large birds, with the head and neck unfeathered, covered with scattered hairs, and more or less caruncu- late. Bill moderate; nostrils bare; forehead with an elongate fleshy process. Tarsus spurred in male; hind toe elevated. Tail nearly as long as wing, truncate, of more than twelve feathers. Breast of male mostly with a tuft of long bristles. Genus one; species two. M. ocellatus, of tropical America, and the common Turkey. /. MELEAGRIS, Linnaeus. TURKEYS. 1. M. gallopavo, L. WILD TURKEY. Glossy, coppery black; L. 48; W. 21; T. 18£. Canada to Rocky Moun tains, and south to Mexico, becoming extinct eastwards. The domestic Turkey is descended from a Mexican variety. 118 BIRDS. FAMILY XLIX. — TETRAONID^E. (The Grouse.} Nostrils and tarsus densely feathered. Toes usually naked. Tail various with sixteen to twenty feathers. Usually a naked strip over eye; sides of neck often with a bare patch or lengthened feathers, or both. Genera seven; species fifteen; chiefly North American. * Toes naked. f Tarsus feathered to the toes. \ Tail of 16 feathers; colors dark. . . . CAN ACE, 1. \\ Tail of 18 feathers. a. Neck without peculiar feathers; middle tail feathers pro jecting PEDICECETES, 2. aa. Neck with peculiar, elongated, lanceolate feathers above a large, bare, bright-colored patch. . CLTPIDONIA, 3. ff Tarsus feathered about half way; tail of 18 soft, broad feathers. BONASA, 4. ** Toes feathered ; winter plumage pure white. . LAOOPUS, 5. /. CANACE, Reichenbach. AMERICAN GROUSE. < Tetrao, L. 1. C. canadensis, (L.) Reich. SPRUCE PARTRIDGE. CANADA GROUSE. Black above with plumbeous mark ings; mostly black below with white spots; tail with an orange brown terminal band; $ smaller, black interrupted or streaky; L. 10; W. Of; T. o£. Spruce swamps, N. U. S. and Northward. 2. PEDKECETES, Baird. SHARP - TAILED GROUSE. 1. P. phasianellus, (L.) var. columbianus, (Ord.) Coues. SHARP- TAILED GROUSE. Chiefly yellowish brown and white; sexes alike; L. 18; W. 8f; T. 5. Illinois to Colorado, N. and W. PERDICLD^E. — L. 119 3. CUPIDONIA, Reich. PINNATED GROUSE. 1. C. cupido, (L.) Baird. PRAIRIE HEN. PRAIRIE CHICKEN. Sides of neck with a tuft of long pointed feathers, beneath which is a patch of bare, red skin, capable of great inflation; black, tawny and white, barred and streaked; L. 17; W. 9; T. 4£; $ smaller. Prairies, etc., Martha's Vineyard to La. and N.; nearly extermin ated eastward. 4. BQHASA, Stephens. RUFFED GROUSE. 1. B. umbellus, (L.) Stephens. PARTRIDGE (North.) PHEASANT (South.) Crested; sides of neck with a ruff of soft black feathers; variegated, reddish or grayish brown, with blackish and pale; L. 18; W. 7£; T. 7. E. U. S., abundant in woodland. 5. LAGQPUS, Vieillot. PTARMIGANS. 1. L. a/bus, (Gm.) Aud. WHITE PTARMIGAN. WILLOW GROUSE. Fore parts cinnamon brown, variegated with blackish; in winter pure white; bill stout; L. 16; W. 8; T. 5. British America; N. U. S. (rarely, in winter.) FAMILY L. — PERDICIDvE. (The Partridges.) Nostrils unfeathered, protected by a naked scale; tarsus bare and scutellate, circumorbital space usually not bare; in most respects similar to the Grouse, but smaller. Our species are crested (excepting the com mon Quail) and Western or Southwestern. /. QRTYX, Stephens. BOB-WHITES. 1. 0. virginianus, (L.) Bon. QUAIL (North.) PART RIDGE (South.) BOB -WHITE. Forehead, line through eyes, chin and throat white, brownish yellow in $; 120 BIRDS. crown dark ; plumage generally chestnut red, barred and streaked; L. 9J; W. 5; T. 3. E. U. S., and West Indies; W. to Plains. OEDEE M.-LIMICOL^E. (The Shore Birds,) Tibia more or less naked below (sometimes very slightly); legs, and usually neck also, elongated; hind toe free and elevated, often wanting. Head globose, abruptly sloping to the base of the bill, completely feathered (except in Philomachm <$); gape short; bill weak, flexible, more or less soft -skinned, and therefore sensitive, blunt at tip, without hard cutting edges — fitted for probing in the mud; nostrils slit-like, surround ed by soft skin, never feathered; body never strongly compressed or depressed; nature precocial. Birds of medium or small size, more or less aquatic; found in most regions; very abundant in America. FAMILY LI. — CH ARADRIID^. (The Plovers.) Head rather large, nearly globose; bill of moderate length, shaped somewhat like a pigeon's bill, with a constriction behind the horny terminal portion; nasal fossae lined with soft skin, through which the slit -like nostrils open. Wings long and pointed, usually reaching beyond the tip of the short tail, sometimes spurred. Toes usually three, with basal web; tarsus reticulated; tibiae naked below. Sexes similar, but seasonal changes of plumage great. Species sixty or more, in most parts of the world. * Plumage speckled ; black below in breeding season. CHARIDRIID^E. — LI. 121 f Hind toe present, very short. . . . SQUATAROLA, 1. ff Hind toe absent. CHARADRICS, 2. ** Plumage not speckled ; head and neck with dark bands in the breeding season ; toes 3. . . „ . . ^EGIALITIS, 3. /. SQUATAROLA, Cuvier. WHISTLING PLOVERS. 1. S. helvetica, (L.) Cuv. BLACK - BELLIED PLOVER. Ox-EYE. Grayish, speckled; black below in breeding season, at other times white; L. 11^$ W. 7; T. 3; B. 1£; Ts. 2. In most parts of the world. 2. CHARADRIUS, L. GOLDEN PLOVERS. 1. C. fulvus (Gm.) var. virginicus, (Borck. ) Coues. GOLDEN PLOVER. FROST BIRD. Dark and grayish above, profusely speckled, some of the spots bright yellow; black below in breeding season, at other times grayish; L. 10i; W. 7; T. 3; B. 1; Ts. If. N. Am., a well known game bird. 3. /EGIALITIS,¥>o\e. RING - NECK PLOVERS. * Bill black, rather long; L. 8 or more. 1. /E. vociferus, (L.) Cass. KILDEER PLOVER. Brown; rump bright orange brown; tail with black, white, and orange; two black bars across breast, and one above the white forehead; L. 9|; W. 6£; T. 3J. N. Am., abund ant in the Miss. Valley. ** Bill black-tipped, short and stout; L. 7 or less. 2. JE. semipalmatus, (Bon.) Cab. RING - NECK PLOVER. Dark ashy brown ; black bands broad; feet semipal mate; L. 7. N. Am. 3. yE. melodus, (Ord.) Cab. PIPING PLOVER. Very pale ashy brown, clear white below; dark bands narrow and faint; toes slightly webbed; L. 6f. E. N. Am., abundant along the coast. 6 122 BIBDS. FAMILY LIL — HJEMATOPODID^. (The Turnstones.) Bill hard, acute, or truncate; nasal fossae short, broad, and shallow. Legs short, stout, brightly colored. Genera two, not much alike; species six or eight; in most parts of the world. * Toes 3, webbed at base ; tarsus reticulate, shorter than the trun cate, compressed, almost woodpecker-like bill. ELEMATOPUS, 1. ** Toes 4, not webbed ; tarsus scutellate in front, as long as the sharp, pointed bill. ... . . . STREPSILAS, 2. /. HSEMATOPUS, Linnaeus. OYSTER CATCHERS. 1. H. palliatus, Temminck. OYSTER CATCHER. Ashy brown and blackish, mostly white below; L. 18; W. 10; T. 4£; B. 3. Coasts. 2. STREPSILAS, Linnseus. TURNSTONES. 1. S. interpres, (L.) Illiger. TURNSTONE. Variegated; black, white, brown, and chestnut above; mostly white below; no reddish in winter; L. 8£; W. 6; T. 2J. Cosmopolitan; abundant. FAMILY LIIL — RECURVIROSTRHLE. (The Avocets.) Legs excessively long. Bill very slender, long, acute, often recurved. Genera three, species eight; in most parts of the world. Himantopus is said to have the longest legs relatively of any bird. * Toes 4, full webbed ; bill recurved, flattened, tapering to a needle- like point ; plumage beneath thickened as in ducks ; swim mers RECURVIROSTRA, 1. ** Toes 3, semipalmate ; bill nearly straight, not flattened. HIMANTOPUS, 2. . — LlV. 123 /. RECURVIROSTRA, Linnreus. AVOCETS. 1. R. americana, Gm. AVOCET. BLUE STOCKING. White, marked with black and cinnamon; legs blue; L. 18; W. 8; T. 3f U. S. 2. HIMANTOPUS, Brisson. STILTS. 1. H. n/'gr/c o///s, Vieillot. STILT. LONG SHANKS. LAWYER. Glossy black, white below, legs pink; L. 15; W. 9; T. 3; Ts. 4. U. S. FAMILY LIV.— PHALAROPODID^E. (The Phalaropes.) Snipe-like birds with the toes lobed, as in the coots and grebes, but the lobes narrower. Swimmers; body depressed and the under plumage thick as in the Ducks. Tarsus much compressed. Three species representing as many genera; of northern regions of both hemis pheres, southward in winter. * Bill flattened; membranes scalloped. . . PHALAROPUS, 1. ** Bill subulate ; membranes scalloped. . . LOBIPES, 2. *** Bill subulate ; membranes plain. . . STEGANOPUS, 3. /. PHALAROPUS, Brisson. RED PHALAROPES. 1. P. fulicarius, (L.) Bon. RED PHALAROPE. Variega ted above, purplish chestnut below; young white below; L. 8; W. 5; T. 2f ; B. 1. Northern Am. 2. LOBIPES, Cuvier. NORTHERN PHALAROPES. 1. L. HyperboreuSf (L.) Cuv. NORTHERN PHALAROPE. Grayish black, variegated; rump and under parts white; sides of neck with chestnut stripe. Northern regions. 3. STEGANOPUS, Vieillot. PHALAROPES. 1. 5. wilsoni, (Sab.) Coues. WILSON'S PHALAROPE. 124 BIRDS. Ashy above, variegated; rump and under parts white; sides of neck with a black stripe which changes to chest nut below. Northern regions. FAMILY LV. — SCOLOPACID^E. (The Snipe.) • Bill elongated, usually longer than the head; if short not plover - like, being soft - skinned throughout (hard when dry); nasal grooves narrow channels ranging from half to nearly the whole length of the bill; sides of lower mandible usually also grooved; nostrils narrow exposed slits; head feathered. Wings usually thin and pointed ; tail short and soft ; tibiae rarely entirely feathered. Tarsus never entirely reticulate and usually scutellate in front and behind; hind toe present (except in Calidris)\ front toes cleft or slightly webbed; size medium or small. Sexes alike or female slightly larger ; seasonal changes in plumage often strongly marked. Eggs usually four, placed with the small ends together in a slight nest or depression in the ground; notes various; mostly migratory or gregarious. Genera fifteen or more, species about ninety; chiefly of northern regions, but some species in most parts of the world. * Toes 3. ......... CALIDRIS, 8. ** Toes 4. f Tarsus scutellate in front only; bill slender, decurvecl, very much longer than the head. . . . NUMENIUS, 15. ff Tarsus scutellate in front and behind. \ Feet semi pal mate ; toes somewhat webbed at base. a Tail barred crosswise, with light and dark colors. 5. Gape not reaching beyond base of culmen. c. Culmen furrowed ; length less than 12. MACRORHAMPHUS, 4 OPACID^E. — LY. 125 cc. Culmen unfurrowed ; length more than 12. LlMOSA, 9. lib. Gape reaching beyond base of culrnen. d. Length more than 9. e. Bill longer than head. . . . TOTANUS, 10. ee. Bill not longer than head. /. Tail more than half the length of wing. ACTITURUS, 13. ff. Tail less than half the length of wing. PHILOMACHUS, 12. dd. Length less than 9 ; second toe uuwebbed. g. Bill grooved nearly to tip ; back not speckled with white ; adult with black spots below. TRINGOIDES, 11. gg. Bill grooved about half way to tip ; back speckled with white, not spotted below. . TOTANUS, 10. aa. Tail not barred. h. One minute web; primaries mottled with black. TRYNGITES, 14. "Kh. Feet with two plain Webs. i. Bill about as long as head. . . EREUNETES, 6. ii. Bill much longer than head. . MICROPALAMA, 5. $ Toes not webbed at all. .;'. First primary attenuate ; bill straight, shorter than head ; culmen grooved SCOLOPAX, 2. jj. First three primaries attenuate ; bill as in Scolopax. PHILOHELA, I. jjj. Primaries not attenuate. k. Bill straight, about twice as long as head. GALLINAGO, 3. kk. Bill straight, much shorter than head ; primaries mottled with black. . . . TRYNGITF:S, 14. kkk. All other Sandpipers. . . . TRINGA, 7. /. PHILOMELA, Gray. AMERICAN WOODCOCKS. 1. P. minor, (Gm.) Gray. AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 126 BIKDS. Variegated, black, brown, gray, and russet; below warm brown; eye high and far back; L. 11; W. 5; B. 3; T. 1J. E. U. S., in swamps, etc. 2. SCOLOPAX, Linnaeus. EUROPEAN WOODCOCKS. 1. S. rusticola, L. EUROPEAN WOODCOCK. General appearance of Philohela^ but a third larger. European; accidental on our Atlantic coast. 3. GALLINAGO, Leach. SNIPE. 1. G. wilsoni, (Temm.) Bon. AMERICAN SNIPE. WIL SON'S SNIPE. Back varied with black and bay; crown black, with a pale median stripe; bill straight, very long; L. 11; W. 5; B. 2J; leg naked, 3; T. ty. E. U. S., abundant. 4. MACRORHAMPHUS, Leach. RED -BREASTED SNIPE. 1. M. griseus, (Gm.) Leach. GRAY SNIPE. BROWN- BACK. Blackish and grayish ; breast bay in summer; bill long nearly as in Gallinago; L. 11; W. 5^; T. 2J. North America; abundant coastwise. 5. MICROPALAMA, Baird. STILT SANDPIPERS. 1. M. himantopus, (Bon.) Baird. STILT SANDPIPER. Blackish, marked with chestnut, etc.; ashy gray in win ter; bill nearly as in Gallinago; L. 9; W. 5; T. 2£. N. Am., not abundant. 6. EREUNETES,mgQT. SAND -PEEPS. 1. E. pusillus, (L.) Cass. SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. PEEP. Plumage various, usually pale, white below ; small; L. 6J; W. 3|; T. 2. N. Am.; abundant along beaches. SCOLOPACID.E. — LV. 127 7. TRINGA, Linnaeus. SANDPIPERS. * Bill, tarsus, and middle toe with claw, of about equal length. (Actodromas.) f Upper tail coverts (except the lateral series) black or dark brown ; throat with an ashy or brownish suffusion and dusky streaks. 1. T. minutilla, Vieill. LEAST SANDPIPER. PEEP. Smallest of the Sandpipers, resembling Ereunetes, but the feet different; L. 6; W. 3£; T. 2. N. Am., abundant. 2. T. bairdii, (Coues) Scl. BAIRD'S SANDPIPER. Colors of preceding but larger; throat but little streaked; L. 7 to 7|; W. 4f ; T. 2^; B. £. America, rare E. of the Mississippi R. 3. T. ma.cula.ta, Vieill. PECTORAL SNIPE. JACK SNIPE. GRASS SNIPE. Crown unlike neck; throat ashy-shaded and sharply streaked; L. 9; W. 5£; B. 1J. N. Am., abundant. ft Upper tail coverts white, with or without dusky marks ; throat sharply streaked, with little if any ashy suffusion. 4. T. fuscicollis, Vieill. WHITE - HUMPED SAND PIPER. L. 7J; W. 4f ; T. 2£. E. U. S., abundant along the coast. ** Bill, tarsus, and middle toe, obviously not of equal length. $ Tarsus shorter than middle toe ; tibiae feathered. (Arquatella.) 5. T. maritima, Briinnich. PURPLE SANDPIPER. Ashy black with purplish reflections; feathers with pale edg ings; lower parts, etc., mostly white; bill nearly straight; L. 9; W. 5; T. 2f ; B. !£. Atlantic Coast. \\ Tarsus not shorter than middle toe ; tibiae bare below. a. Bill slightly clccurvecl, much longer than tarsus. (Pelidna.) 6. T. a/pina (L.) var. americana, Cass. AM. DUNLIN. Ox- BIRD. BLACK - BELLIED SANDPIPER. Chestnut brown above; feathers black centrally; belly, in summer. 128 BIKDS. with a broad black area; L. 9; W. 5; T. 2£; B. If. N. Arn. an. Bill perfectly straight. (Tringa.) 7. T. canutus, L. ROBIN SNIPE. RED -BREASTED SANDPIPER. Brownish black, brownish red (robin -like) below; L. 11; W. 6J; T. 2£. Atlantic Coast; abundant. 8. CALIDRIS, Cuvier. SANDERLINGS. 1. C. arenaria, (L.) 111. SANDERLING. RUDDY PLOVER. Variegated; form of T. canutus, but the hind toe want ing; L. 8; W. 5; T. 2J; B. 1. N. Am.; abundant coastwise. 9. LIMOSA, Brisson. GODWITS. 1. L. fedoa, (L.) Ord. GREAT MARBLED GODWIT. MARLIN. Cinnamon brown, variegated above, nearly uniform below; tail barred; no pure white; L. 1G to 22; W. 9; T. 3J-; B. 4|-. U. S., abundant along shores. 2. L hudsonica, (Lath.) Sw. BLACK -TAILED GODWIT. Brownish black and reddish, more or less variegated above and below; some white; tail black, white at base; L. 15; W. 8; Ts. 2£; B. 3J. N. Am., rather northerly. 10. TOTANUS, Bechstein. TATTLERS. * Toes with two sub-equal webs; legs dark or bluish. (Sym- phemia.) 1. T. semipalmatus, Gmelin. WILLET. SEMIPALMATED TATTLER. Grayish, variegated; L. 12 to 16; W. 7J; T. 3; B. 2J. U. S., common coastwise. ** Toes with the inner web very small ; legs yellow. (Glottis, Nilsson.) 2. T. melanoleucus, Gm. GREATER TELL-TALE. YEL LOW SHANKS. STONE SNIPE. Ashy brown, variegated; bill very slender; legs long; L. 12 J; W. 7£; T. 3£; B. 2£. N. Am., frequent. SCOLOPACIDJ3. — LV. 129 3. T. flavipes, Gm. LESSER TELL-TALE. YELLOW SHANKS. Colors as in preceding; smaller; legs longer; L. 11; W. GJ; T. 2J; B. If. U. S., abundant. *** Toes with inner web rudimentary; legs blackish. (Rhya- copkilm, Ktiup.) 4. T. solitarius, Wilson. SOLITARY TATTLER. Olive brown, streaked and speckled with whitish above; below white, breast with dusky suffusion; bill straight and slender; L. 9; W. 5; T. 2J; B. 1£. U.S., abundant about secluded ponds, etc. //. TRINGOIDES, Bonaparte. SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. 1. T. macularius, (L.) Gray. TIP -Up. TEETER -TAIL. SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Lustrous drab above, varied with black; pure white below, with round black spots in adult; L. 8; W. 4; T. 2; B. 1. U. S., every where. 12. PHILOMACHUS, Mohring. RUFFS. 1. P. pugnax, (L.) Gray. RUFF (<*). REEVE (?). Male in breeding season with a great ruff, and the face bare; $ without these characters; L. 10; W. 7; T. 2f ; B. 1J. European; accidental on our coasts. 13. ACTITURUS, Bonaparte. UPLAND SANDPIPERS. 1. A. bartramius, (Wilson) Bon. UPLAND PLOVER. Dark grayish, variegated; L. 13; W. 7; T. 4; B. 1£. U. S., abundant in fields, etc. 14. TRYNGITES, Cabanis. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS. 1. T. rufescens, (Vieill.) Cab. Grayish, reddish below; quills with white and finely mottled with black; L. 8; W. 5^; T. 2J. U. S., with the last, but not common. 15. NUMENIUS, Linnaeus. CURLEWS. 1. H. longirostris, Wils. LONG -BILLED CURLEW. 130 BIRDS. SICKLE BILL. Reddish gray, variegated; L. 24; W. 12; T. 4; B. 5 to 9. U. S., frequent. 2. N. hudsonicus, Lath. JACK CURLEW. Similar, but paler; L. 18; W. 9; T. 3J; B. 3 or 4. U. S., and north ward. 3. N. borea//'sf (Forst.) Lath. ESQUIMAUX CURLEW. DOUGH BIRD. More reddish; L. 15 or less; W. 8J; T. 3; B. 2J. U. S., northwards. OEDEE K-HEEODIOIsTES. (The Herons and Storks.) Birds usually of large stature, with compressed body, long legs and a very long "S-bent" neck; tibia naked below; toes long and slender, cleft or slightly webbed, the hind toe comparatively long and (usually) not ele vated, provided with a large claw. Wings broad, rounded. Tail short. Head narrow, gradually contracting to the stout base of the bill, which is long and mostly hard and acute, with sharp cutting edges; lores, orbital space, and often whole head naked. Plumage with powder-down tracts (explained below); altricial. FAMILY LVL — ARDEID^E. (Tlw Herons) Large birds with the bill straight, longer than the head, compressed, acute, with sharp - cutting edges; upper mandible grooved; nostrils linear; lores naked, the bill appearing to run directly to the eyes; rest of head feathered; parts of the body with "powder -down tracts," — strips of short, dusty, or greasy down -like feathers, usually three pairs of these strips, i. e., on the back above the hips, on the belly under the hips, and AKDEID^E. — LVI. 131 on the breast; usually long plumes from the back or head in the breeding season. Wings broad. Tail very short. Tibire largely naked below; toes long and slen der, hind toe on a level with the rest, middle claw pectinate. Sexes usually colored alike. Species nearly one hundred; in most parts of the world, abundant in the warmer regions. * Tail of 12 feathers ; usually a crest or train in the breeding season ; lateral toes more than half length of tarsus. f Tibia bare two inches or more. \ Length 36 or more. a. General color bluish or ashy brown. . ARDEA, 1. aa. Color white at all times. . . . HEIIODIAS, 2. ft Length 24 or less. I. Color white at all times; legs black and yellow. GARZETTA, 3. &&. General color bluish (young white), legs black or bluish. FLORIDA, 4. ff Tibia bare one inch or less. c. Tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw. d. Bill more than thrice as long as high. . BUTORIDES, 5. dd. Bill not three times as long as high. NYCTIARDEA, 6. cc. Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw ; bill more than half an inch deep at base. . . NYCTIIERODIUS, 7. ** Tail of 10 feathers ; no crest nor train ; lower neck bare behind ; length less than 30. e. Length more than 18; tawny, much streaked. BOTAURUS, 8. ee. Length less than 18 ; glossy blackish or chestnut. ARDETTA, 9. /. ARDEA, Linnaeus. HERONS. 1. A. Herod ias, L. GREAT BLUE HERON. Grayish blue, marked with black and white; back of head crested in breeding season; tibia and edge of wing chestnut brown; L.1 48; W. 20; T. 7; B. 5£; Ts. 6±; ? much smaller. U. S., common. 132 BIKDS. 2. HERODIAS, Gray. GREAT WHITE EGRETS. 1. H. egretta, (Gin.) Gray. GREAT WHITE EGRET. WHITE HERON. Pure white; head without lengthened feathers; back in breeding season with a long train; L. 40; W. 17; B. 5; Ts. G. U. S., chiefly southerly. 3. GARZETTA, Bonaparte. LITTLE WHITE EGRETS. /. G. candidissima, (Jacq.) Bon. SNOWY EGRET. Pure white ; head and neck with long plumes in breeding season; L. 24; W. 12; B. 3; T. 4. Southern and middle States; abundant. 4. FLORIDA, Baird. LITTLE BLUE HERONS. 1. F. ccerulea, (L.) Baird. LITTLE BLUE HERON. Slaty blue; young white; head with elongated feathers; no dorsal plumes; L. 24; W. 12; B. 3; Ts. 4. U. S.; abundant, southerly. 5. BUTORIDES, Bonaparte. GREEN HERONS. 1. B. virescens, (L.) Bon. GREEN HERON. Crowrt, back and wings lustrous dark green; neck purplish cin namon; crested; back with lengthened feathers; L. 18; W. 7; B. 2|. U. S., abundant. 6. NYCTIARDEA, Swainson. NIGHT HERONS. 1. N. grisea (L.) Steph., var. naBvia, (Bodd.) Allen. QUA BIRD. SQUAWK. NIGHT HERON. Bluish gray, crown and shoulders glossy green ; no peculiar feathers save two or three long, white occipital plumes; young speckled, very different; L. 24; W. 14; B. 3; Ts. 3. U. S., frequent. 7. NYCTHERODIUS, Auctorum. YELLOW - CROWNED NIGHT HERONS. 1. N. violaceus, (L.) . YELLOW - CROWNED NIGHT TANTALID2E. — LVII. 133 HERON. Grayish plumbeous; crested; back with long plumes; crown, etc., tawny or white; young speckled; size of last; B. 2f ; Ts. 3f. U. S. 8. BOTAURUS, Stephens. BITTERNS. 1. B. mugitans, (Bartr.) Coues. INDIAN HEN. STAKE DRIVER. BITTERX. Tawny brown of various shades, excessively variegated every where; dark patch on each side of neck; L. 23 to 28; W. 12; T. 4|; B. 3. U. S., abundant. 9. ARDETTA, Gray. LEAST BITTERN. 1. A. exilis, (Gin.) Gray. LEAST BITTERN. $ chiefly glossy greenish black above, brownish yellow below, neck and shoulders with chestnut; $ with purplish chestnut instead of black; L. 14; W. 5; T. If; B. If. U. S., rather rare. FAMILY L VII.— TANTALISE. (The Ibises.} Stork -like birds, usually of large size, with the head more or less bare of feathers when adult; neck and legs long; body small. Wings large and rounded. Tail very short. Tibia bare for some distance; toes 4; hind toe lengthened and low down. Genera four; species fifteen; swamps and lakes of warm regions. Sexes alike. Allied to the Storks (Ciconiidce) of the Old World. * Tarsus reticulate ; bill very stout, tapering, decurvcd. TANTALUS, 1. ** Tarsus scutellate in front; bill grooved, curved (curlew-like.) IBIS, 2. /. TANTALUS, Linnaeus. WOOD IBISES. 1. T. loculator, L. WOOD IBIS. White; quills, tail and primary coverts black; bare part of head and neck 134 BIRDS. bluish; L. 48; W. 20; B. 9. Southern States, N. to Ohio and Colorado. 2. IBIS, Mohring. IBISES. * Claws curved. (Ibis.) 1. 7. alba, (L.) V. WHITE IBIS. Pure white, wings with black; L. 24; W. 11; T. 4; B. 7. Southern States, N. to L. I. ** Claws nearly straight. (Falcinellus) 2. 7. falcinellus var. ordii, (Bon.) Allen. GLOSSY IBIS. Rich dark chestnut, with greenish and purplish on head; L. 24; W. 11; T. 4; B. 4£. S. States, N. to N. England. OEDEE O.-ALECTOEIDES. (The Cranes and Rails.) Tibia naked below; neck, legs and feet much as in JTerodiones, except that the hind toe is small and ele vated, and provided with a small claw. Bill various, usually lengthened; head fully feathered or else exten sively bald. Body more or less compressed. Wings short, rounded, concave. Tail very short and small; size various. FAMILY LVIIL — GRUID^E. (The Cranes.) Very large birds with the head and neck extremely long. Wings large. Tail short. Head more or less naked, with scattered hair -like feathers. Plumage mostly compact. Bill as long or longer than head, straight and slender; tibiae extensively naked ; tarsus scutellate; toes rather short; hind toe highly elevated. Genera three; species fourteen, of various parts of the world. RALLID.E. — LIX. 135 /. GRUS, Linnaeus. CRANES. 1. G. americanus, (L.) Ord. WHITE OR WHOOPING CRANE. Adult pure white with black on wings; bare part of head very hairy; young grayish, the head feathered; L. 50; W. 24; T. 9; Ts. 12; B. 6. U. S., rather southerly. 2. G. canadensis, (L.) Temm. BROWN OR SAND - HILL CRANE. Plumbeous gray, never whitening; head sparsely hairy; smaller. U. S., chiefly S. and W. FAMILY LIX. — RALLID^E. (The Rails.) Birds of medium or small size, with compressed bodies and muscular legs. Wings and tail short. Hind toe short and elevated; front toes very long. Bill various, rather short. Plumage blended. Sexes alike. Species about one hundred and fifty, of most parts of the world. * Forehead feathered ; no frontal plate. (RALLIN^E.) f Bill decurved, longer than head. . . . RALLUS, 1. ft Bill straight, shorter than head. . . . PORZANA, 2. ** Forehead covered with a broad,. horny, frontal plate. \ Toes scarcely or not lobate. (GALLINULIN^E.) a. Nostrils linear; tarsus less than 2. . GALLLNTTLA, 3. aa. Nostrils nearly circular; tarsus about 2. PORPHYRIO, 2. it Toes lobate, edged with broad flaps. (FuLiciN^.) FULICA, 5. /. RALLUS, Linnaeus. RAILS. 1. R. longirostris, Bodd. CLAPPER RAIL. SALT WATER MARSH HEN. Olive brown, variegated with ashy; dull reddish brown below; L. 14 to 16; W. 6; T. 2^; B. 2^; $ smaller. Salt marshes; rather southerly. 2. R. elegans, Aud. KING RAIL. FRESH -WATER MARSH HEN. Brownish black, with chestnut below 136 BIRDS. and on wing coverts; much brighter colored than the last, and rather larger. U. S., fresh-water marshes. 3. R. virgin! anus, L. VIRGINIA RAIL. Colors exactly as in R. elegans; much smaller; L. 10; W. 4; T. \\ r; B. 1J. U. S., frequent. 2. PORZANA, Vieillot. LITTLE RAILS. 1. P. Carolina., (L.) V. CAROLINA RAIL. SORA. "OR TOLAN." Olive - brown, variegated; face and middle line of throat black; breast slaty gray; back streaked; belly barred; L. 9; W. 4£; T. 2. U. S., not rare. 2. P. noveboracensis, (Gm.) Cass. YELLOW RAIL. Variegated above; L. 6; W. 3£; T. 1£. E. U. S., not common. 3. P. jamaicensis, (Gm.) Cass. BLACK RAIL. Blackish; L. o^-. S. Am., etc., rarely in U. S. 3. GALLINULA, Brisson. GALLINULES. 1. G. galeata, (Licht.) Bon. FLORIDA GALLINULE. Brownish o-live above, grayish black on head and below; bill, frontal plate and ring around tibia red; L. 15; W. 7i; T. 3J; Ts. 2. S. States, straying northward. (Mani- tovvoc, Wis. Jordan.) 4. PORPHYRIO, Temminck. PURPLE GALLINULES. 1. P. mariinica, (L.) Temm. PURPLE GALLINULES. Olive green; head and below purplish blue; crissum white; bill mostly red; L. 12; W. 7; T. 3. S. States, N. to Maine. 5. FULICA, Linnaeus. COOTS. 1. F. americana, Gm. COOT. MUD HEN. Dark slate color or sooty; bill brownish; L. 14; W. 8; T. 2. U. S., abundant in reedy swamps; swims well. ANATID2E. — LX. 137 OEDEE P.-LAMELLIEOSTEES. (The Anserine Birds.) Bill lamellate, i. e., furnished along each cutting edge with a regular series of tooth-like processes, which cor respond to certain laciniate processes of the fleshy tongue, which ends in a horny tip; bill large, thick, high at base, depressed towards the end, membranous except at the obtuse tip which is occupied by a horny nail; no gular pouch. Head high, compressed, with sloping forehead; eyes small. Feet 4-toed (excepting some Flamingoes), palmate ; hind toe small, elevated ; tibia feathered in Anatidce, bare below in the Flamingoes. Wings strong, short. Legs short (except in PhcenicopteridvB, where excessively elongated); precocial; swimming birds. An important and familiar order, comprising nearly all the " Water Fowl " which are valued in domestication or as game birds. There are two families, Phoenicopteridce the Flamingoes, and the following: FAMILY LX. — ANATHLE (The Ducks) Characters of bill, etc., as given above. Body heavy, flattened beneath. Head large; eyes small. Tail various, usually short, of 14 to 16 feathers, the lower coverts being long and full. Feet shor-t, anterior toes full -webbed. Sexes usually quite unlike (excepting among the Swans and Geese.) Species one hundred and seventy -five, of all parts of the world; migratory. The sub - families are indicated below. * Lores naked ; adult entirely white ; large birds ; Swans. (CYG- NIN.E.) CYGNUS, 1. ** Lores feathered; tarsus entirely reticulate ; Geese. (ANSERINE.) a. Bill and legs not black ; colors white, bluish, etc. ANSER, 2. 138 BIKDS. aa. Bill and legs black ; neck black. . . BEANTA, 3. *** Lores feathered ; tarsus scutellate in front ; Ducks. f Bill depressed ; the lamellae simple, bluntish. | Hind toe simple, not bordered by membrane. " Eiver Ducks." (ANATTSLE.) 5. Head crested ; tip of bill formed entirely by the. nail ; colors brilliant in $ Aix, 11. &&. Bill very much widened towards the tip; speculum green SPATULA, 10. &&&. Head not crested ; bill not much widened towards tip. c. Tail wedge-shaped, at least f length of wing. $ of DAFILA, 5. cc. Tail less than half length of wing. d. Bill shorter than head. e. Crown streaked ; tail feathers acute. DAFILA, 5. ee. Crown creamy or white ; speculum green. MARECA, 7. dd. Bill about as long as head; speculum white; wing coverts chestnut. . . CHAULELASMUS, 6. ddd. Bill a little longer than head. f. Speculum violet, bordered with black and white. ANAS, 4. ff. Speculum green. g. Wing coverts sky blue ; head of $ plumbeous or purplish. . . . QUERQTJEDULA, 8. gg. Wing without blue ; head of $ chestnut, with green band ; almost crested. . NETTION, 9. \\ Hind toe lobed (bordered by membrane.) " Sea Ducks." (FULIGULIN.E.) h. Cheeks bristly ; colors black and white (or gray.) CAMPTOL^EMUS, 16. Till. Tail pointed, longer than wings (in adult) ; bill black and orange HARELDA, 15. Tihh. Tail rounded ; the feathers stiff, narrow, exposed nearly to their bases, the upper coverts being very short. ERISMATURA, 30. ANATID^E.— LX. 139 MM. Ducks with none of the above peculiarities. i. Upper mandible gibbous at its unfeathered base ; black or brown. (EDEMIA, 19. n. Upper mandible not gibbous where unfeathered. j. Nail at tip of bill narrow and distinct. k. Head black or brown; nostrils sub -basal; bill longer than tarsus. . . . FULIX, 12. Kk. Head reddish or brownish, without white ; nos trils nearly median ; bill longer than tarsus. AYTHYA, 13. Ickk. Head black or gray, with white ; nostrils nearly median ; bill about as long as tarsus. BUCEPHALA, 14. jj. Nail broad, scarcely distinct. I. Feathers extending on culmen and partly on sides of upper mandible. . . SOMATERIA, 18. II. Feathers not extending on culmen ; bill small, much tapering. . . HISTRIONICUS, 17. ft Bill narrow, nearly cylindrical; the lamellae acute, recurved, like saw-teeth ; usually crested. Fish Ducks. (MERGING.) ra. Bill not black ; tarsus more than half the length of middle toe MERGUS, 21. mm. Bill black ; tarsus half length of middle toe. LOPHODYTES, 22. 1. CYGNUS, Linnaeus. SWANS. > Olor, Wagler. 1. C. buccinator, Rich. TRUMPETER SWAN. Tail (normally) 24 feathered; bill without yellow spot, longer than head; nostrils sub -basal; L. about 50. Miss. Valley, W. and N. 2. C. columbianus, (Ord.) Coues. WHISTLING SWAN. Tail 20 feathered; bill with a yellow spot, not longer than head; nostrils median; L, 50. N. Am. (C.ameri- canus, Sharpless.) 140 BIRDS. 2. ANSER, Linnaeus. GEESE. 1. A. albifrons, Gm., var. gambeli, (Hartl.) Coues. WHITE - FRONTED GOOSE. SPECKLE - BILL. White or gray, blotched with black; back dark; head and neck grayish brown; forehead white ^iii adult; claws pale; lamellse usual; L. 27; W. 17; T. 6; Ts. 3. N. Am. 2. A. ccerulescens, L. BLUE GOOSE. Size and form of next, but plumage ashy, varied with dark brown. N. Am., rather rare. 3. A. hyperboreus, Pallas. SNOW GOOSE. Adult pure white or washed with reddish; wings with black; claws dark; young bluish; lamellae very prominent; L. 30; W. 19; T. 6^; B. 2|. 3. BRANTA, Scopoli. BRANT GEESE. = JZermcla, most authors. 1. B. bernicla, (L.) BRANT GOOSE. Head, neck, front, quills, and tail, black; white patch on neck; white on rump, crissum, etc.; back brownish gray; L. 24; W. 13; T. 5; B. 1^. Northern States; in winter to Carolina. 2. B. canadensis, (L.) WILD GOOSE. CANADA GOOSE. Grayish brown, paler below; head and neck black; white throat patch, extending on sides of head; tail black; upper coverts white; L. 36; W. 20; T. 7£; B. 2. N. Am., abundant; U. S. in winter. 4. ANAS, Linnaaus. DUCKS. 1. A. boschas, L. MALLARD DUCK. TAME DUCK. $ head and upper neck rich glossy green, a white ring below; breast purplish chestnut; speculum violet; wing coverts tipped with black and white; $ duller, chiefly dull ochraceous, streaked with dark brown; L. 24; W. 12. Am., abundant; commonest westward. Original ANATID^E. — LX. 141 of the common Domestic Duck; various hybrids of this species with others are described. 2. A. obscura, Gm. BLACK DUCK. Size of mallard and resembling the ?, but darker; no decided white except under the wings. E. U. S., common. 5. DAFILA, Leach. PINTAIL DUCKS. 1. D. acuta, (L.) Jenyns. PIN -TAIL. SPRIG -TAIL. $ dark brown with purplish gloss; sides of neck with long white stripes; tail cuneate when developed, central feathers much projecting; $ speckled and streaked; tail shorter; L. 24; W. 11; T. 9 or less. N. Am. 6. CHAULELASMUS, Gray. GADWAIXS. 1. C. streperus, (L.) Gray. GADWALL. $ barred, black and white, wing coverts chestnut, greater coverts black, speculum white; $ with similar markings; L. 22; W. 11. N. Am. 7. MARECA, Stephens. WIDGEONS. 1. M. penelope, (L.) Bon. EUROPEAN WIDGEON. Head and neck reddish brown; top of head brownish white; sides of head with green traces; L. 22; W. 11; T. 5. Europe; accidental in America, Wis. (Kumlien) and Atlantic Coast. 2. M. americana, (Gm.) Steph. AMERICAN WIDGEON. BALDPATE. Head and neck grayish, speckled ; colors more emphatic; sides of head with""*bright green patch. N. Am., abundant. 8 QUERQUEDULA, Stephens. BLUE WINGED TEALS. 1. Q. discors, (L.) Steph. BLUE WINGED TEAL. $ head and neck blackish plumbeous, darkest on the crown; a white crescent in front of eye;' under parts 142 BIRDS. thickly spotted; ? quite different, known by the wings; L. 16; W. 7; T. 3. E. U. S., to Rocky Mts. 9. NETTION, Kaup. GREEN -WINGED TEALS. 1. N. caro/inens/s, (Gm.) Kaup. GREEN -WINGED TEAL. A white crescent on sides in front of wings; shoulders plain; L. 15; W. 7-J-; T. 3£. N. America, common. 10. SPATULA, Boie. SHOVELLERS. 1. S. c/ypeata, (L.) Boie. SHOVELLER. SPOON-BILL DUCK. $ head and neck green; wing coverts blue; speculum green; $ with similar bill and wings; L. 20; W. 9±; B. 2f. N. Am. //. AIX, Swainson. WOOD DUCKS. 1. A. sponsa, (L.) Boie. WOOD DUCK. SUMMER DUCK. Crested ; $ head iridescent green and purple, with white stripes and a forked white throat patch; breast rich brownish; $ duller, head mostly gray; L. 20; W. 9-j-; T. 5. U. S. frequent; nesting in trees. 12. FULIX, Sundevall. FLOCKING - FOWL. < Fuligula, Authors. 1. F. marila, (L.) Baird. BIG SCAUP DUCK. BLUE BILL. RAFT DUCK. Speculum white; no ring about neck; back and sides whitish, finely waved with black; ? face white; markings less distinct; L. 20; W. 9. N. Am. 2. F. affinis, (Eyton) Baird. LESSER SCAUP DUCK. Similar, but -smaller; L. 16; W. 8. N. Am., rather southerly. 3. F. collaris, (Donovan) Baird. RING-NECKED DUCK. Speculum gray; an orange brown collar about neck; ? without collar; L. 18; W. 8±. N. Am. ANATID.E. — LX. 143 13. AYTHYA, Boie. CANVAS-BACK DUCKS. 1. A. ferina (L.) var. americana, (Eyton) Allen. RED HEAD. POCHARD. $ head and neck chestnut with red reflections; back mixed silvery and black; the dark waved lines unbroken; $ duller; bill shorter than head, two or less, bluish, the nail dark; L. 20; W. 10. N. Am., abundant. 2. A. vallisneria, (Wilson) Boie. CANVAS - BACK DUCK. Head more dusky; black wavy lines on back broken, the whitish predominating; bill as long as head, 2-£ or more, dusky. N. Am.; especially coastwise in winter. 4. BUCEPHALA, Baird. GOLDEN -EYES. Clangula, Authors. 1. B. clangula, (L.) Gray. GOLDEN- EYE. GARROT. $ head puffy, glossy green with some white; upper parts black; white continuous on outer surface of wing; $ head duller, snuff -colored and scarcely puffy; L. 16 to 19; W. 8 to 9. N. Am. and Europe. 2. B. islandica, (Gm.) Baird. BARROW'S GOLDEN-EYE. Similar ; ,gloss of head purplish; white of wing divided by dark bar; more white on head; larger. N. U. S. and N.; rare. 3. B. albeola, (L.) Baird. DIPPER. BUFFLE-HEAD. BUTTER-BALL. SPIRIT DUCK. $ with head very puffy and iridescent; a large white ear patch; L. 16; W. 7; ? small, dark gray ; head scarcely puffy. N. Am., abundant. 15. HARELDA, Leach. LONG - TAILED DUCKS. r 1. H. glacialis, (L.) Leach. SOUTH - SOUTHERLY. OLD WIFE. LONG -TAILED DUCK. Reddish brown, nearly white in winter; tail very long; $ quite different, no 144 BIRDS. white on wing; L. 20; W. 9; T. 8, or less. N. Am. and Europe; chiefly northern and coastwise. 16. CAMPTOL/EMUS, Gray. PIED DUCKS. 1. C. labradorius, (Gm.) Gray. LABRADOR DUCK. $ chiefly black and white; $ plumbeous; L. 24; W. 9. Coast, chiefly northern; scarce. 17. HISTRIONICUS, Lesson. HARLEQUIN DUCKS. 1. H. torquatus, (L.) Bon. HARLEQUIN DUCK. $ leaden bluish, much varied; speculum violet and purple; $ dark brown, etc. Atlantic Coast, Am. and Europe. 18. SOMATERIA, Leach. EIDER DUCKS. 1. S. mollissima, (L.) Leach. EIDER DUCK. $ in breeding dress, white; under parts, rump, quills, and crown patch black; $ reddish brown, streaked; bill with long, club-shaped, frontal processes extending in line with culmen; L. 24; W. 12. Arctic regions; S. to New England in winter. (/S. dresseri, Sharpe.) 2. S. spectabilis, (L.) Leach. KING EIDER. $ chiefly black; front parts, etc., white; frontal processes broad, squarish, out of line of culmen; slightly smaller. Nor thern regions; S. to N. Y. 19. (EDEMIA, Fleming. SURF DUCKS. * Bill not encroached upon by frontal feathers; tail 16-feathered ; no white on wings. ((Edemia.) 1. (E. americana, Sw. AMERICAN BLACK SCOTER. $ entirely black; $ sooty brown, paler below and on throat; L. 18 to 24; W. 10. N. Am., all coasts. ** Bill broadly encroached upon by frontal feathers; a large white wing patch. (Melanetta.) 2. (E. fusca, (L.) Sw. VELVET SCOTER. WHITE ANATID^E. — LX. 145 WINGED SURF DUCK. $ black; white spot under eye; ? sooty brown, rather larger. Shores of Europe and N. Am. *** Bill narrowly encroached upon by frontal feathers; no white on wings ; tail 14-feathered. (Pelionetia.) 3. (E. perspicillaia, (L.) Fleming. SURF DUCK. SEA COOT. $ black, with white spot on forehead and nape; $ sooty brown; white patch on lores and cheeks; size of first. Coasts. 20. ERISMATURA, Bonaparte. STIFF TAILED DUCKS. 1. E. rubida, (Wils.) Bon. RUDDY DUCK. Chiefly brownish or tawny (reddish in perfect plumage), con siderably waved and dotted; crissum white; L. 17; W. 6. N. Am., frequent. 2. E. dominica, (L.) Eyton. SAN DOMINGO DUCK. Smaller and redder; forehead and chin black; L. 13^; W. G£. S. America and W. Indies; accidental N. (Wis., Kumlien, L. Champlain, Cabot.) 21. MERGUS, Linnaeus. MERGANSERS. 1. M. merganser, L. MERGANSER. GOOSANDER. FISH DUCK. $ black and white above, salmon-colored below; head glossy green, scarcely crested; $ smaller, ashy gray; head brownish; nostrils median; L. 24; W. 11. N. Am., common. 2. M. serrator, L. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. FISH DUCK. . Similar, but smaller and more crested; $ with throat reddish brown, black-streaked; wing with two black bars, instead of one as in last; nostrils sub-basal; L. 20; W. 9. N. Am., abundant. 22. LOPHODYTES, Reichenbach. CRESTED DIVERS. 1. L. cucu//atus, (L.) Reich. HOODED MERGANSER. 7 146 BIRDS. SHELDRAKE. Black and white; sides chestnut in 3; $> duller and grayish; crest high and compressed; nostrils sub-basal; L. 19; W. 8. N. Am., common. OEDEE Q.-STEGANOPODES. (The Totipalmate Birds.) Feet totipalmate; hind toe lengthened, scarcely ele vated, united by a web to the other toes; tibiae feathered Bill various, horny, never lamellate, cutting edges often serrate; nostrils very small or abortive; a prominent, naked, gular pouch; tarsus reticulate; altricial. We here omit the families SulidoB (Gannets) and Tachypetidcs (Frigate Birds) as they are exclusively marine. One species of the Southern family Plot'nl