BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 3 



habits, a plain coloration characterizes the entire group, not a 

 single species possessing a brilliant plumage, while the majority 

 are among the dullest colored of birds. They are mostly forest 

 birds, though the Pteroptochid^T? and some of the Fin-iiariidse inhabit 

 bushy tracts or even more open places. The Pteroptochidae, 

 ConopophagidfB, and Formicariidoe are chiefly terrestrial, but the 

 DendrocolaptidcTB and many of the Furnariida' glean their food 

 from the trunks of forest trees, in the manner of Woodpeckers and 

 Creepers. 



In Dr. Sclater's catalogue of the Tracheophonae,^ 559 species are 

 recognized ; but since this number represents only those that were 

 autoptically known to the author it may safely be assumed that the 

 actual number of recognizable forms, including subspecies, is not far 

 from 800.'' 



KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF TRACHEOPHON.E. 



a. Only one pair of tracheo-bronchial muscles; metasternum 4-notched, or else (in 

 Formicariidoe) tensor patagii brevis tendon normally passerine and nares holo- 

 rhinal; tarsal envelope not exaspidean (endaspidean, taxaspidean, or holas- 

 pidean). 

 6. Metasternum 4-notclied; tensor patagii brevis tendon quasi-picarian.c 

 c. Interorbital septum perforate; postorbital process small, placed low down on 

 side of skull; maxillo-palatines long and slender, curved backward; vomer 

 short, with long limbs; intrinsic muscles present; sterno-tracheal is not attached 

 to processus vocales; palate a-githognathous (oscinine); mesorhinium com- 

 pressed and arched or else expanded into a flattened oval shield; nostrils 

 consjiicuously operculate; tarsal envelope taxaspidean or holaspidean. 



Pteroptochidae (p. 4) 



"Catalogue | of the | Passeriformes, | or | Perching Birds | in the | Collection | of 

 the I British Museum. | — | Tracheophonse, | or the Families | Dendrocolaptidse, | 

 F'ormicariidse, | Conopophagidse, and Pteroptochidae. | By | Philip Lutley Sclater. | 

 London: | Printed by order of the Trustees. | 1890.— 8vo, pp. xviii X 372, pi. xx. 

 (Volume XV of the "Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum.") 



b In Sharpe's Hand List of the Genera and Species of Birds (vol. iii, 1901, pp. 4-87) 

 the number of forms recognized as belonging to the American Families alone is 799, 

 as follows: 



Species. Genera. 



Pteroptochidae 31 8 



Conopophagid;e l(j 2 



Formicariidae 347 38 



Furnariidae 278 37 



Dendrocolaptidse 127 14 



Total 799 99 



The enumeration of species, however, includes subspecies, which are not distin- 

 guished typographically or otherwise in the list. The Furnariidae and Dendrocolap- 

 tidae are treated as one family, as in the British Museum catalogue. 



c The returning portion concealed by the muscular fibers at the origin of the extensor 

 metacarpi muscle. (See Stejneger, Standard Nat. Hist., Birds, p. 476.) 



