turdidjE— thrushes. 



247 



of the series. Largely, perhaps, through the influence of those ornithologists who hold that 

 fusion of the tarsal envelop into one continuous plate indicates the acme of bird-structure, the 

 place of honor has of late been usually assigned to the Thrushes. It seems to me most prob- 

 able that this character, though unquestionably of high import, should be taken as of less value 

 than reduction of numbtu- of primaries from 10 to 9; and I am inclined to believe that eventu- 

 ally some Oscine family with only 9 i:)rimaries — as the Finches or Tanagers — will take the 

 leading position. Some contend for the headship of the Crows. Here, however, I follow usage 

 in the sequence of North American families, as follows: — Turdidce, Cinclidce, Sylviidce, Cha- 

 mceidce, Paridce, Sittidcc, CertMidce, Troglodytidce, 3Iotacillidce, MnioUltidcc, Coirebidce, Tana- 

 gridce, Hinmdinidce, Anqjelidce, Vireonidce, Laniidce, Fringillidce, Ictendce, Corvidce, Sturnidce, 

 Alaiulida;. 



Family TURDID^ : Thrushes, etc. 



The essential character of this great group of Oscines is booted tarsi and 10 primaries, 

 the 1st spurious. But Turdidce do not show this combination exclusively as birds of some 

 other families also 

 possess it. Though 

 it be as natural as 

 any other Oscine 

 femily of equal ex- 

 tent and variety, 

 and equally close 

 relationships with 

 other groups, it is 

 insusceptible of 

 perfect definition in 

 concise terms. The 

 North American rep- 

 resentatives, how- 

 ever, may readily be 

 ciirumscribed in a 

 manner enabling the 

 student to assure 



himself- of the family to which they belong, though no line whatever can be drawn between 

 Turdidce and S>/lviidce. The vast assemblage of Old World Warblers are in fact thoroughly 

 Thrnsli-like. 



Wing of 10 primaries, of which the 1st is spurious or quite short. Wing more or less 

 elongate and pointed, longer than tail. Inner secondaries never long and flowing as in Mota- 

 ciUidcE. Bill never stout and conical, nor with angulated commissure, nor flattened with gape 

 reaching under eyes; usually slender, straight or little curved, more or less compressed, sub- 

 ulate and acute, usually notched at end of upper mandible (but the nick frequently obsolete), 

 and thus of a character which is called grijpaniform. Nostril oval or roundish rarely linear, 

 exposed in conspicuous nasal fosste; nearly or quite reached or overreached by frontal feathers, 

 but never concealed by a dense ruff" as in Paridce and Sittidce. Rictus bristled or with bristle- 

 tipped feathers. Tarsus normally liooted, the anterior scutella, excepting a few below, being 

 fused in a coiitinu(jus plate. On tiie sides and behind, tarsus strictly laminiplantar (compare 

 Alaudidce and some Troglodi/tince). Tarsus usually also long and slender; never decidedly 

 shorter than middle toe and claw, often decidedly longer. Anterior toes deeply cleft; inner to 

 its very base, outer adherent to middle for only length of its basal jt>int (compare Trugludgtincc). 



Via. 114. —Skulls of Tiir(li<lii\ Mimiiur, etc., nat 

 sco//tes montanns ; B, Sialin mi'.riciuui ; C, Ciiiclus 

 serve likeness between A and B, at points marked c. 

 points marked 6, b', d, d'. 



after Sluifeldt. A, Oro- 

 s : D, Siurus ,„n-h<x. Ob- 

 aud between C and D, at? 



