BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 181 



Lateral toes unequal (except in Donacohius) ,<" the inner reachino; 

 (without claw) to the subterniinal joint (articulation) of the middle 

 toe, the outer slightly, but distinctly, longer; hallux shorter (or at 

 least not long-er) than inner toe; basal phalanx of middle toe united 

 for half its length (or slightly more) to the outer toe, but almost 

 wholly free from inner toe; claws normal in size and curvature 

 (rather small and w^eak in Oroscoptes, larger and stouter or more 

 strongly curved than usual in Margarops and CinclocertMa) . 



Osteological characters of theMimidfe'' are as follows: Anteorbital 

 region narrow; descending process of nasal narrow, the angle 

 subtended l)y this i)rocess and the pars plena rather acute; maxillo- 

 palatines claviform (except in Oaleoscoptes); costal process of 

 sternum moderate in size, somewhat acuminate; coracoid with a 

 moderate flange on epicoracoidal portion; pelvis rather compressed, 

 but with ilia inclined from the horizontal. 



That the Mmida^ are distinct as a group from both the Troglody- 

 tidfp and Turdida-, with each of which they have been associated, 

 is shown by the following comparison of their most prominent 

 osteologicaf character, adapted from :Mr. Lucas's paper, previously 

 referred to: 



COMPARISON or OSTEOLOGICAL CHARACTERS OF TROGLOnYTID.E, MIMID.r,, AND 



TURDID.E. 



a. Anteorbital region nan-ow; descending process of nasal narrow; costal process of 

 sternum small or moderate, more or less acuminate; coracoid with a short or mod- 

 erate flange on epicoracoidal portion; pelvis more or less compressed, with ilia 

 inclined from the horizontal. 

 b. Descending process of nasal slender, the angle formed hy this and the pars plana 

 more open; maxillo-palatines acuminate posteriorly; costal process of sternum 

 small, more acuminate; flange of coracoid shurlcr; ilia more inclined fmni lln^ 



horizontal, the pelvis narrower posteriorly Troglodytids. 



bb. Descending process of nasal narrow but not slender, the angle formed by thi.s and 

 the pars plana more acute; maxillo-palatines claviform (except in (ialcn- 

 scoptes);c costal process of sternum longer, less acuminate; flange of coracoid 

 longer; ilia less inclined from ihe horizontal, th(> ]ielvis broader anteriorly. 



Mimidae. 



aa. Anteorbital region wide; descending process of nasal wide; costal process of 

 sternum large, blunt, rhomboidal in outline; coracoid with a wide flange run- 

 ning half way up the shaft; pelvis broad, flattened Turdidae. 



oThe proportions of the toes in ])onar<,l>!n^ are differcMit from those of any other 

 genus in the funiilv, both lateral toes (which are equal in length) extending (without 

 claw) to decidedly beyond the subterminal arlieulation of the middle toe. wlule the 

 hallux is quite as long as the lateral toes. 



b As given by Mr. F. A. Lucas, in Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xi, 1888, 178, 179. 



cln aalcosropleii th(> maxillo-palatines very nearly conx'spond in shape to those of 

 the Turdida;. 



