248 S YS TEMA TIC S YXOPSIS. — PA SSERES — OSCINES. 



Hind claw never leiagtheiied and straightened as usual in Motacillidcc. Tail-feathers 12 ; tail 

 normally much shorter than wings, sometimes about equal ; never cuneate, or deeply forked. 



Any North American bird, except the Dipper, showing booted tarsi, 10 primaries, the 1st 

 spurious, — and wing over 3 inches long, — is one of the Tiirdidce. 



Obs. — In determining character of tarsus, whether booted or scutellate, it is necessary to examine adult birds ; for 

 the fusion of the anterior scutella is progressive, and only accomplished perfectly at maturity. And in general, in using 

 artificial keys to genera and species, the student must agree with the author in understanding that specimens fairly 

 illustrating normal adult characters are in hand. 



Subfamily TURDIN/E: Typical Thrushes. 



Tarsus, in the adult, "booted" or enveloped in a continuous plate, formed by fusion of all 

 tarsal scutella except 2 or 3 just above base of toes (fig. 36). Toes deeply cleft — inner to the 



very base; outer coherent with middle only for 

 the length of its basal joint. Wings more or 

 less pointed, longer than tail; 1st primary spuri- 

 ous ; 2d longer than 6th. Bill moderate, shorter 

 than head, straight, more or less subulate, little 

 depressed at base, with bristly rictus. Nostrils 

 oval, nearly or quite reached by the frontal feath- 

 ers. (Fig. 116.) Tail-feathers widening some- 

 wliat toward ends; tail as a whole somewhat 

 fan-shaped, neither decidedly forked uov nmch 

 graduated. Upward of 250 species are now usu- 

 ally assigned to TurdincB. They are nearly cos- 

 Fio. 115. -A typical Thrush, the European Black- mopolitan, and have a great development in the 



hivd {Tuniu.i meiula). From Dixon. c » • , , . , 



warmer parts ot America, where they are mainly 

 represented by types closely allied to Turdus proper; more aberrant forms, constituting very 

 distinct genera, occur in the Old World. We have 6 genera in North America, and a species 

 of Catharus occurs very near if not actually over our Mexican border. Some of the leading 

 genera which are not represented in North America are Oreocinda, which presents the passerine 

 abnormality of 14 tail-feathers; Geocichla, an extensive group of Ground Thrushes, with sev- 

 eral subdivisions ; Mimocichla and Catharus, of Neotropical America ; Erithacus, typified by 

 the Robin-redbreast of Europe, E. rubecula, familiar in the traditions of the nursery ; Aedon, 

 which contains the famous Nightingale, A. luscinia; RuticiUa, based on the European Red- 

 start, E. Phcenicura; and monticola, including the Rock Chats, such as M. saxatilis. The 

 Turdince are diffused over all woodland parts of our country ; all are strictly migratory, insec- 

 tivorous birds, though feeding also upon berries and other soft fruits. Though not truly grega- 

 rious, some, as the Robin for instance, often collect in troops at favorite feeding places, or 

 migrate in companies. They build rather rude nests, often plastered with mud, never pensile, 

 but saddled on a bough, fixed on a fork, or set on the ground; and lay 4-6 green or blue 

 eggs, sometimes plain, sometimes spotted. All are vocal; some, like the Wood Thrush, are 

 exquisitely melodious. 



These birds may be taken in illustration of a character which runs tlirough other groups 

 of Turdidce besides TurdiiM; proper. The young, in their first feathering, which is worn l)ut a 

 short time, are curiously speckled and streaked, in a manner quite different from the adults. 

 This feature is well shown by a young Robin, or Bluebird ; it disappears entirely, from the 

 upper parts at least, but continues to characterize the under parts of our Wood Tlirush and its 

 allies of the genus Hylocichla. Our genera of Turdhife (including those formerly referred to 

 Saxicolince) may be recognized by tlie following artificial 



