KEY TO FAMILIES OF WATER BIRDS 



3'. Bill without soft swollen skin around nostrils. 



4. Toes always three in front, middle and outer ones never connected 

 for half their length ; feet strong 1 . 



Passeres : Perching Birds, p. 110. 

 4'. Toes two or three in front; if three, middle and outer connected 



for at least half their length, or feet small and weak. 

 .">. Bill needle-like, or short, with wide gape . Macrochires : 

 Goatsuckers. Swifts, and Hummingbirds, p. 110. 

 5'. Bill not needle-like nor with wide g'ape. 

 >. Tail feathers stiff and pointed. 



Pici : "Woodpeckers, p. 110. 



6'. Tail feathers soft, with normal tips .... Coccyges : 

 Cuckoos, Trogoiis, and Kingfishers, p. 109. 



KEY TO FAMILIES OF WATER BIRDS. 



ORDER PYGOPODBS: DIVING BIRDS. 



1. Tail wanting; feet not fully webbed. 



Fodicipidae : Grebes, p. 5. 



1'. Tail present, but short; feet webbed. 



2. Hind toe present Gaviidee : Loons, p. 0. 



2'. Hind toe absent Alcidae : 



Auks, Murres, and Puffins, p. 11. 



Fig. 1. 



Fin. :;. 



ORDER LONGIPENNES: LONG- WINGED 



SWIMMERS. 



I. Upper mandible with distinct basal saddle. 



Stercorariidce : Jaegers, etc., p. IT. 



1'. Upper mandible in <>nr piece. 



Laridae : Gulls and Terns, p. 19. 



c, 



