PKOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 459 



SYNOPSIS OF THE SUBFAMILIES AND GROUPS OF THE AMERICAN 

 TURDID^. 



ftiGonysmore than one-third the couiissurc; chin-angle not anterior to the line of 

 the nostrils, or else the commissnro very arched. Bill stouter, 

 more leuthened, narrower at base and more compressed; width 

 at base usually less than distance from nostril to tips; commissure 

 very seldom more th.'>n twice the same distance ...A. TuuDix^. 

 61 Wings not shorter than five times the tarsus. Tarsus very short, never longer 

 than middle toe with claw, or commissure. Second primary often 

 longer than the fifth ; sometimes longer than the fourth. Wings 



covering more than two-thirds of the tail 1. Sialiew. 



&- Wings not more than four and three-fourths times the length of the tarsus. 

 Tarsus moderate or long, never shorter than middle too and claw, 

 or commissure. Second primary seldom longer than fifth, never 

 longer than fourth. Wings not covering more than two- thirds 

 of the tail. 

 ciCulraeu generally decidedly concave just before the nostrils, or, if straight, 

 the commissure is also straight. Tail usiially short, square, or 



emarginated 2. Saxicolew. 



c-Culmen generally arched from the base; if straight at the base, the com- 

 missure very arched, or more or less abruptly bent downwards 

 behind the nostrils, 

 d' Second primary more than four times longer than the first; usually 

 longer than the sixth and equal to the fifth. Distance from 

 the tip of the longest primary to that of the longest secondary 

 generally longer, and not shorter, than the distance from the 

 latter point to the tip of the longest of the greater wing-coverts. 



3. Turdece. 

 d- Second primary not longer than four times the first, or else the tail 

 three times the tarsus; usually shorter than the sixth. Distance 

 from the til) of tho longest primary to that of the longest sec- 

 ondary generally shorter, and not longer, than the distance from 

 the latter point to the tip of the longest of the greater wing- 

 coverts, 

 e' Tarsus more than twice the length of the exposed culmen. 



4. Lusciniece, 

 e- Tarsus not more than twice the length of the exposed culmen. 



5. Merulece. 



a- Gonys only one-third the commissure or less; chin-angle always anterior to the line 



of the nostrils; commissure rather straight ; bill shorter, more 



depressed ; mouth deeply cleft ; width at base greater than twice 



the distance from nostrils to tip ; commissure more than twice 



the same distance P>. Myadestin^:. 



¥ Tail feathers never four times as long as the commissure G. Plattjdchlece. 



C- Tail feathers four times as long as the commissure or longer 7. Myadestece. 



