MOTACILLIDJE. 151 



Motacilla. 



Tail longer than the wings ; hind claw comparatively short, 

 and considerably curved. Feathers of back without lighter 

 edges ; no spots nor streaks on breast. Tail doubly forked, or 

 the central feathers nearly equal to the lateral, and longer 

 than intermediate ones. Tip of wing formed by outer three 

 primaries ; the distance between the 3d and4th about one- 

 third that between the 4th and ."ith. Tarsi lengthened ; 

 claw small ; hind toe and claw shorter than the middle, its 

 claw short, considerably curved, less than the toe alone ; 

 lateral toes nearly equal • Motacilla, 



Anthus. 



Tail decidedly shorter than the wings ; less than half the whole 

 length of bird ; simply emarginate and rounded. Hind claw 

 lengthened ; only slightly curved. Feathers of back with 

 paler edges ; breast streaked with dusky. 



a. Wings much pointed, and lengthened. 



Point of wing formed by four outer primaries, of which the 

 4th sometimes a little shorter than 3d. Hind toe and claw 

 as long as middle, shorter than tarsus, the claw alone 

 usually a little longer than the toe itself, and slightly 

 curved ; inner toe and claw longer than the outer ; out- 

 stretched toes falling short of the tip of tail ; hind toe and 

 claw shorter than tarsus ...... Anthus. 



Point of wings formed by four outer primaries, the 1st 

 longest, or as long as others. Legs stout, the outstretched 

 toes reaching almost to tip of tail. Hind toe and claw 

 longer than tarsus, the claw very long, but equal to the 

 toe proper ......... Neocorys. 



b. Wings short, rounded. 

 Point of wings formed by four outer primaries of nearly 



equal length ......... Notiocorys. 



Point of wings formed by five outer primaries, the 1st shorter 



than 3d . Pediocorys. 



MOTACILLA, Linn. 



Motacilla, Linn. S. N. 1735. (Type Motacilla albn.) 



The first mentioned species under 31otaciUa, in the 10th edition 

 of the Systema XatnriB of Linnaeus, is luscinia, or the European 

 Nightingale. If tliis worlv be talven as the starting point of tlie 

 Linnasan binomial nomenclature, it will be necessary to find some 

 other name for the genus, perhaps PaUenura, Pallas {fide Gray). 



