404 XOETII AMERICAN BIRDS. 



composed of the ends of twigs, coarse stems of vegetables, and grasses. 

 "Within tliis they build a compact, well-made fabric of grasses, grapevine 

 bark, and other finer substances, lining the whole with leaves and fiue root- 

 fibres. The cavity is large and deep for the bird. The parents are fourteen 

 days in incubating before the young are hatched out, and all this while are 

 remarkably silent, liardly uttering a sound, even their faintest lisping note, 

 when the nest is meddled witli, though they evince great au.xiety by their 

 fearless indifference to their own danger. 



The eggs, usually five, sometimes six, in numlier, have a marked resem- 

 blance to those of tlie Waxwing, Init are smaller. Their ground-color varies 

 from a light slate-color to a deep shade of stone-color, tinged witli olive. 

 These arc marked with blotches of a dark purplish-brown, almost black, 

 lighter shades of a dark pur]ile, and i)enumbra3 of faint purple, sometimes 

 by themselves or surrounding and continuing the darker spots. They vary 

 in length from .80 to .88 of an inch, and average about .85. In breadth they 

 are from .60 to .70 of an inch, and in shape thej' differ also from an olilong- 

 oval to one of a quite rounded form. 



Nests of these birds from the Arctic regions are more elaborately built and 

 more warmly lined, being often largely made up of the fine dark-colored 

 lichens that cover the forest trees of those regions. 



SuBF.uiiiv PTILOGONATIN^. 



Char. Lej^s moderate. No.'itriLs oval, with wide nakeil iiiiiiiibrant! above and to some 

 extent beliind them ; the frontal feathers not reaching to their border, and rather soft. 

 Wings graduated, shorter than the somewhat broad, fan-sliajied tail ; the tirst quill nearly 

 half the second. Adults plain. 



Althougli we find it convenient for the present to retain the genera Ptilo- 

 (/OHi/s and Ali/ladcstcs in the same suljfamily, there seems little doubt that 

 they belong to very different families, the latter being more properly placed 

 in Tinrlirhr, as shown in IJev. Am. Birds. It is not necessary that the sub- 

 ject be discussed here, liowever, and we merely give the diagnosis of the two 

 groups of which tliese genera are the types respectively : — 



PtilogonateEB. Tarsi soutellate anteriorly ; not longer than middle toe and claw. 

 Myiadesteae. Tar.<i with a continuous plate anteriorly ; longer than middle toe and 

 claw. 



RicrxioN PTILOGONATE/E. 



Ch.\r. Tar.sus stout, shorter, or not longer than the middle toe and claw; conspicuously 

 scutellate anteriorly, and frequently on one or other or on both sides; sometimes with a 

 row of small plates behind. Wings much graduated ; the second quill not longer than 

 secondaries. Outline of lateral tail-feathers parallel or widening from base to near tip. 

 Tail unvaried, or else inornate at end. Quills without light patch at base. Head crested. 

 Young birds not .spotted. Not conspicuous for song. 



