Order OS GOES. 



SINGING BIRDS. 



Char. Toes, three anterior, one behind ; all at the same level, and none 

 versatile, the outer anterior neA'er entirely free to the base. Tail feathers, 

 twelve. Primaries either nine only, or else the first is spurious, or much 

 shorter than the second, making the tenth. Tarsi feathered to the knee ; 

 the plates on the anterior face either fused into one, or -with distinct divis- 

 ions ; the posterior portion of tlie sides covered by one continuous plate on 

 either side, meeting in a sharp edge behind, or with only a few divisions 

 inferiorly. Occasionally the hinder side has transverse plates, correspond- 

 ing in number to the anterior, but there are then usually none on the sides. 

 Larynx provided with a peculiar muscular apparatus for singing, composed 

 of five pairs of muscles. 



Most of the species of this division are more or le.ss musical; some, how- 

 ever, have only a harsh \-oice, though provided with the singing muscles. 



Family TURDID^E, Thrushes. 



Char. Primaries ten ; the first very small or not more than half the 

 longest ; second, usually shorter than fourth. Wings reaching about to mid- 

 dle of tail. Toes deeply cleft. Tarsi sometimes with the scutellse united 

 into a continiious plate in front ; sometimes distinct. Nostrils OA'al. Loral 

 and frontal feathers with bristly points ; gape provided with bristles. Bill 

 slender ; notched at tip. 



Food chiefly fruit and insects. 



Sub-Family TURDIN.E. 



Char. Nostrils oval. Bristles along the base of the bill from gape to 

 nostrils ; those of rictus not reaching beyond nostrils. Second cpiill longer 

 than sixth. Outer lateral toe longer than inner. Tarsi covered anteriorly 

 witli a continuous plate. Wings long. 



