A L A UDILLE : L A RKS. 



503 



claw. Lateral toes of subequal lengths, their claws falliug short of base of middle claw ; 

 hind claw about as long as its digit. Plumage metallic aud iridescent, the feathers all dis- 

 tinctly outlined. 



S. vulga'i-is. (Lat. t'M/^am, vulgar, common. Fig. 338.) The Starling. Adult: Gen- 

 eral plumage of metallic lustre, irides- 

 cing dark green on most parts, more 

 ste;'l-blue on under parts, and violet or 

 purplish-blue on fore parts ; more or 

 less variegated throughout with pale 

 ochraceous or whitish tips of the feath- 

 ers. Wings and tail fuscous ; exposed 

 parts of feathers somewhat frosty <ii' 

 silvery, with velvety-black and pale 

 ochrey margiuings, the former within 

 the latter. Bill yellowish ; feet red- 

 dish. Young and in winter: Plumage 

 more heavily variegated throughout, 

 with larger tawny-brown spots on up|)(r 

 parts, and white ones below ; wiiii:s 

 and tail strongly edged with Itrnwn ; 

 bill dark. Length about 8.50; wing 

 5.00; tail 2.75; bill 1.00; tarsus 1.00; 

 middle toe and claw L25. Europe, 

 etc., one of the longest and best known 

 instance : imported and now naturalized in New York City, where it breeds about buildings 

 in Central Park and elsewhere, like the European Sparrow; eggs 4-7, L15 X 0.85, pale 

 greenish-blue, unmarked. 



Fig. 3jS. — The starling. (From Uixon.) 



birds. Has straggled to Greenland in one known 



Family ALAUDID^ : Larks. 



A rather small group, well defined by tlie character of tlie feet, in adaptation to terrestrial 

 life. The subcylindrical tarsi are scutellate and blunt behind as in front, with a deep groove 

 along the inner side, and a slight one, or none, on the outer face. That is to say, there is au 

 anomalous structure of the tarsal envelop ; the tarsus being covered with two series of scu- 

 tella, one lapping around in front, the other around behind, the two meeting along a groove 

 on the inner face of the tarsus, which is consequently blunt behind as well as in front. There 

 is a simple suture of the two series c»f plates on the outer face of the tarsus; the individual 

 plates of each series alternate. Other characters (shared by some MotacilUdcc) are the very 

 long, straight, hind claw, which equals or exceeds its digit in length ; long, pointed wings 

 (with 1st primary apparently wanting in Otocorys), and inner secondaries lengthened and 

 flowing. The nostrils are usually concealed by dense tufts of antrorse feathers. The shape 

 of bill is not diagnostic, being sometimes short, stout, aud couic, much as in some Fringillidce, 

 while in otiier cases it is slenderer, and more like that of insectivorous Passeres. Almididfc 

 differ from MotacilUdfC hi liaving the moult single. Tlie family is composed, nominally, of 100 

 <ir more species ; with the exception of two genera and several species or subspecies, it is con- 

 fined to the Old World. Its systematic position is ojx'u to question; some place it at the end 

 (tf tlie Oscinc series, or remove it from Oscines altogether, on account of tlie peculiarities of the 

 podotlieca ; authors generally ])lace it near Fringillidce, from t]i(> reseiiil)lauce of the bill of 

 some speci<'s to that of some Finches, and .'siiecialiy of some liuntings. In former editi<ms of 

 the Key I put Alaiidiilrc next t«i MuUmUida; with which it lias certain relationships. But I 



