BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 6 



family Turdinse'' plus the Myadestinse of authors;'^ and I quite agree 

 with Doctor Stejneger that ''the definition of the group Turdidae ( = 

 Seebohm's Turdinse), given by Mr. Seebohm, seems to be a very proper 

 one," and expresses "the only chief character which really indicates 

 the relationship of the birds to be included in this family." As Doctor 

 Stejneger remarks, "The peculiar spotted first plumage of the Tur- 

 dida:" is a A^ery striking feature, and its coincidence with booted tarsi 

 very remarkable. A careful comparison with forms, which, without 

 showing those characters, have at different times been referred to the 

 Turdidse, will convince us that the limits traced by Mr. Seebohm are 

 the only reliable ones, and that the family thus defined is a very natu- 

 ral group, and, indeed, one of the best among the Passeres. It is 

 only to be regretted that Mr. Seebohm did not include a few other 

 forms which have the same peculiarities. I may especially allude to 

 the Myadestinae, the position of which will be discussed in fidl below. 

 His concluding remarks on page 2 seem, however, to indicate that he 

 himself has been aware of this fault." 



Mr. Seebohm's definition of the characters of his "Subfamily Tur- 

 dina^" applies quite as well to the family Turdidae in its revised sense, 

 and is so concise in its reference to the diagnostic characters presented 

 by the plumage of the young and peculiarities of the molt that a better 

 one could scarcely be framed. It is as follows: 



Tnrdinx. — The young in first plumage differ from the adult in having the upper 

 and the under parts spotted, whether that is or is not the case in the adult. Instead 

 of two molts in the year there is only one, in autumn, the spring plumage being 

 obtained l)y abrasion, or by casting the points of the feathers. Where any feathers 

 have become much worn by the spring, they are replaced by new ones, but nothing 

 approaching a complete molt is observable. Under these circumstances the young 

 birds would have to carry their nestling plumage, or the gi'eater part of it, until the 

 second autumn. To avoid this they have a complete molt, from immature plumage 

 to adult, in their first autumn before they migrate. Consequently the winter plumage 

 of the young and adult is the same, and they can generally only be distinguished by 

 an isolated feather here and there, generally on the wing-coverts or innermost sec- 

 ondaries, which have a pale tip as in the immature plumage. These peculiarities of 

 molting appear in this group of birds to be always associated with a plain tarsus, 

 except occasionally in very young birds of one or two species. 



The Turdidse comprise a great variety of forms which, though all 

 possessing the characters given above as diagnostic of the group, pre- 

 sent wide differences in general appearance, form and coloration, and 

 habits. They may be arboreal, terrestrial, or saxicoline; frugivorous 

 or insectivorous — though many kinds feed both upon fruits and 

 berries and insects ; plainly colored or of brilliant hues, though the 

 latter is exceptional, the former being the rule. The family is remark- 

 able for the number of excellent songsters which it contains, several 



a To which I add the genera Zeledonia and Phxornis, the former unknown at the 

 time Doctor Stejneger's article was published, the latter not mentioned by him. 



