510 



SYSTEMA TIC SYXOPSIS. — PA SSERES — CLAMA TORES. 



Oscines, though they are in fact oligoinyodiau Clamatores. With such modifications, and 

 the exceptions noted, this scutelliplantar condition marks all Clamatorial birds, and is some- 

 tliing tangibly different from the typical Oscine or laminiplantar character of tarsus, which 

 consists in the presence on the sides of entire corneous laminse meeting behind iu a sharp ridge. 

 And even when, as in cases of the oscine Otocorys -auA Ampelis, there is extensive subdivision 

 of laininfe on the sides or behind, the arrangement does not exactly answer to the above 

 description. 



The Clamatores, especially the Tracheophones, represent the lower Passeres, approaching 

 the large order PicaricB (see beyond) in the steps by which they recede from Oscines, yet well 

 separated from Pieariaa birds. Of the families composing the suborder, as above named, only 

 one occurs in North America, north of Mexico, to any considerable extent, but another (Cotin- 

 gidce) is represented on our southern border by at least one species ascertained to occur iu 

 Arizona, and I describe others beyond. 



Analysis of Xorth American Families. 



Tarsus exaspidean Ttrannid* 



Tarsus pycnaspidean Cotingid^ 



Fig. 342. — Bill of a 

 Flycatcher. {Tyrannus 



verticalis, nat. size.) 



Family TYRANNID^ : American Flycatchers. 



While having a close general resemblance to some of the ff 



foregoing insectivorous and oscine Passeres, the North Ameri- 

 can TyrannidcB will be instantly distin- 

 guished by the above-described condi- 

 tion of the tarsus, together with the 

 presence of 10 primaries, whereof the 

 1st is long or longest ; and from birds 

 of the following Picarian order by the 

 Passerine characters of 12 rectrices, 

 greater wingcoverts not more than 

 half as long as secondaries, and hind 

 claw not smaller than middle claw. 



This family is peculiar to America; it is one of tlie most 

 extensive and characteristic groups of its grade in the New 

 World, Tanagridce and Trochilidce alone approaching it iu 

 these respects. There are over 400 current species, distributed 

 among about 100 genera and subgenera. Only a small frag- 

 ment of the family is represented within our limits, giving l>ut 

 a vague idea of the numerous and singularly diversified forms 

 abounding iu tropical America. Some of these grade so closely 

 toward other families, that strict definition of Tyrannida be- 

 comes extremely difficult ; and I am not prepared to offer a 

 satisfactory diagnosis of the whole group. Our species, how- 

 ever, are closely related to eacli other, and may readily be de- 

 fined in a manner answering tlie requirements of the present 

 volume. With a possible exception, not necessary to insist 

 upon iu tliis connection, they belong to the 



Subfamily TYRANNIN/E: True Tyrant Flycatchers, 



presenting the following characters : Wing of 10 primaries ; 



1st never spurious nor very short ; one or more frequently emarginate or attenuate on inner 



Fig. 343. — Eraargination of pri- 

 maries in Tyrannince. a. Milvtilus 

 fijrficatus ; b. Tyrannus tyrantuis ; 

 c. Tyrannus verticalis; d. Tyrannus 

 rociferans ; all nat. size. (Ad. nat. 

 del. E. C.) 



