SINGING BIRDS — USCINES. 3 



Wings dccidt'dl}- sliorter than the tail, which is considerably graduated ; 

 first quill half or more than half the second. 



Bill notched at tip, shorter than head ; straight. 



Scutellje very distinct; gonys straight, or even declining at tip. Mimus. 



ScutelliB more or less obsolete; gonys convex, ascending at tip. Gakfisroples. 



Bill not notched at tip, lengthened; sometimes much decurveil. Harporliijuchus. 



Note. — In the Review of American Birds, I., May, 1866, 409, I have advanced the suggestion 

 that the N. American genus Mijiadestes, usually placed under the AntjKlidw, really belongs under 

 Turdidcv in a grouj) Mijiadcstina:. The relationships are certainly very close, as is shown by the 

 characters given below. 



C0M.MOX Char.vctei'.s. — Tarsi without regular transverse scutella;, e.vcept at lower end. 

 Wings acute, pointed, as long as or longer than tail, wliich is but slightly graduated. First 

 primary rarely half second, which exceeds the secondaries. Base of quills butty yellow, as are 

 inner edges. Tail spotted or varied at the end. Young birds with many light spots. Veiy 

 uicloilious singers. 



Myiadestinae. Bill short, much depressed ; mouth deeply cleft ; width at base about equal 

 to the distance from nostril to tip, or greater ; connuissure more than twice distance from nostrils 

 to tip of bill, and nearly two and a half times length of gonys. Legs weak ; tarsi rather longer 

 than middle toe and claw. Tail feathers tapering sliglitly from base to near tip, giving a slightly 

 cuneate appearance to the tail. 



Turdinae. Bill stouter, more lengthened ; narrow at base and more compressed ; width at 

 base less than distance from nostril to tip ; commissure not more than twice distance from 

 nostrils to tip of bill, and about twice length of gonys. Tarsi stouter, longer than middle toe 

 and claw. Tail feathers widening slightly from base to near tip, giving a parallel-sided or 

 slightly fan-shaped appearance to the tail. 



The ilimina: iliU'er, as already mentioned, in the scutellate tarsi : more roundi'd wiugs, etc. — 

 S. F. B. 



SUBFAMHA- T U E, D I N -SJ . 



There are several American genera of Tirrdinw not found north of 

 Mexico a.s yet, although it is not impos.sible that one of these {Catharus) 

 may hereafter be detected within the limits of the United States. Tlie 

 species of Cutharus resemble the Xortli American wood-thrushes {Hylocichla) ; 

 but the spurious or first primary quill is longer (from one half to one third the 

 second quill), the wings are rounded, not pointed, the tarsus is longer than 

 the head, and the outstretched toes extend beyond the tail. The species to 

 1)6 looked for are C. mclpovienc and ovcidentalis} 



The North American species of Turdinw, while retained under the single 

 genus Turdus, yet constitute several distinct groups, which we may call 

 subgenera. 



Genus TURDUS, Linnjeus. 



Turdus, LiNN.Ens, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1758, 1(J8. (Ty]ie, Turdus viscivorus of Europe.) — 

 Baird, Rev. Am. Birds. 



Gen. Char. Bill conical, subulate, shorter than the head; the tip gently decurved and 

 notched (except in Ilesperocichla) ; the rictus with moderate bristles ; the wings rather 



1 See Baird, Review American Birds, I, 1864, 7, 8. 



