BIRDS OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES 



KEY TO ORDERS. 

 WATER BIRDS. 



1. Feet fully webbed (except grebes in Pygopodes, vvliicli have the toes 

 lobed or margined). 

 2. Foot with tlirye webs, all four toes connected. 



Steganopodes : Totipalmate Sw^immers, p. o. 

 2'. Foot with two webs, three front toes connected. 

 3. Nostrils tubuhir. Tubinares : Tube-nosed Swimmers, p. ;]. 

 3'. Nostrils not tubular. 



4. Edges of mandibles toothed or serrate. 



Anseres : Lamellirostral S"wimmers, p. 3. 

 4'. Edg-es of mandibles not toothed or serrate. 

 5. Leg's placed far back ; wings short. 



Pygopodes : Diving Birds, p. 2. 

 5'. Legs placed near middle of body ; wings long- and pointed. 



Longipennes : Long--winged Swimmers, p. 2. 

 I'.Feet incompletely or not at all webbed. 

 2. Lores and ring around eye naked. 



Herodiones : Herons, Storks, and Ibises, p. 4. 

 2'. Lores and ring around eye feathered. 



3. Hind toe long and approximately on a level with front toes (except 



in cranes, which are over three feet long) . . . Paludicolae : 



Cranes, Rails. Coots. Galliniiles. etc.. j). 4. 



3'. Hind toe short and elevated or absent ; l)ir(l never over twiMity-six 



inches long- Limicolae : Shore Birds, p. 4. 



• 



LAND BIRDS, 



1. Bill strongly hooked. 



2. Toes two in front and two behind, outer toi' i)ernianently revei-sed. 



Psittaci : Parrots, etc.. p. KM). 

 2'. Toes three in front, or outer toe reveisil)le. 



Raptores : Birds of Prey. p. 101». 

 r. Bill not strongly hf)oked. 



2. Hind toe small and elevated .•il)ove front ones. 



Gallince : Gallinaceous Birds, p. lOS. 

 2'. Hiinl toe not elevated .ibove front ones. 



3. Bill with soft swollen skin .ironnd nostiils. 



Columbae : Pigeons or Doves. j». lOS. 



