BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 225 



riidse).— Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1891, 145 (includes 

 Furnariidse). 

 =Dendrocolaptidse Garkod, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1877, 452. — Stejneger, 

 Stand. Nat. Hist., iv, 1885, 478, in text. 



Traclieophone Mesomyodian Passeies with the metasternum 2- 

 notched, mterorbital septum imperforate, postorbital process small, 

 maxillo-palatmes short and broad (crossing posterior end of the 

 olfactory fossa and terminating immediately in front of the descend- 

 ing plate of the palatine), vomer short, tensor patagii brevis tendon 

 typically passerine, nares usually holorhinal (but occasionally schizo- 

 rhinal); syrinx tracheal, with two pairs of short tracheo-bronchal 

 muscles, palate compound ffigithognathous or semi-desmognathous 

 (the palatines fused at anterior end and with the internasal septum) ; 

 mesorhinium normal; tarsal envelope endaspidean; outer toe about 

 as long as middle toe (much longer than inner toe), the three anterior 

 toes united for full length of the basal phalanx; the middle adherent 

 to the outer by nearly, if not quite, the full length of the second 

 phalanx also; hallux (without claw) shorter than inner toe (without 

 claw). 



Like the allied FurnariidEe the Dendrocolaptidee are peculiar to 

 the continental portions of the Neotropical Region, but unlike the 

 latter they belong almost exclusively to the intertropical portions, 

 and are, proportionally, better developed in the Central American 

 district. The family is far less numerous and varied, however, than 

 the Furnariida', consisting of only about 14 genera and 127 species, 

 or considerably less than half as many as are contained in the allied 

 family. 



The Dendrocolaptida? are more arboreal than the Furnariidse, all 

 being distinctly "scansorial," while comparatively few of the Fur- 

 nariidaD are thus adapted. They represent and more or less resem- 

 ble, superficially, the Woodpeckers (Picidoe) and Tree-Creepers 

 (Certhiidae), more especially the latter, most of the species having 

 similarly curved and compressed bills, a more or less varied brownish 

 coloration, and lengthened, graduated, and stiff-pointed tails. Like 

 the CerthiidoB and unlike the Picidae they have three toes in front 

 and one behind, but the former, instead of being cleft to the base 

 are united for the length of their first and second phalanges; and 

 the middle toe, instead of being much longer than the outer one, 

 barely, or not at all exceeds the latter in length. Like the Wood- 

 peckers, however, and unlike the Creepers, the Woodhewers have the 

 habit of loudly tapping or hammering on the trunks and branches of 

 trees. Some genera have the bill enormously developed as to length 

 and greatly curved, sometimes in the shape of a bow — a modification 

 evidently adapted to the purpose of probing the burrows of wood- 

 boring insects. In others the bill is straight and quite woodpecker- 

 81255°— Bull. 50—11 15 



