OEDEE PASSERES — THE PASSEEINE BIRDS. 47 



Order PASSERES.— The Passerine Birds. 



Chaeacteks.— Three toes in front and one behind; the latter well-developed and on a 

 level with the rest. Bill without a cere, and never distinctly hooked.* Primaries 9 or 10; 

 secondaries 9; reotriees usually la, rarely 10 or 14. Wing-coverts arranged in three series 

 or tracts, as follows: ,1) a well-defined lesser-covert area, the numerous small feathers of 

 which are arranged in several rows, the feathers alternately in more or less squamate 

 fashion; (2) the middle coverts, which form a single row, the feathers of which overlap one 

 another with their inner webs, or the reverse of all the other feathers of the wing; (3) the 

 greater coverts, which overlie the basal portion of the secondaries, but covering less than 

 the basal half of the latter. 



The Order Passeres includes the vast assemblage of so-called "Perch- 

 ing Birds," which comprises by far the larger part of known species. 

 The majority of them are of small size, but there are many excep- 

 tions to this rule, the Raven and other large Gorvidce being true 

 Passeres. 



The Passeres include two rather distinct major groups, which may 

 be distinguished as follows : — 



Oscines. Tarsus compressed posteriorly, with comparatively sharp hinder edge; or 



else, hind claw longer than its digit, and straight. 

 Clamatores. Tarsus cylindrical, the hind claw shorter than its digit and distinctly 

 arched. 



Analysis or Families op PASSERES. 

 A. Oscines. 



a>. Posterior half of tarsus compressed, with two lateral plates uniting In a 

 comparatively sharp edge, and for the most part undivided. 

 6'. Primaries obviously 10, or else tip of bill hooked. 



c'. Tarsi "booted," i. e. the anterior plates undivided for the greater 

 portion of their length, 

 d'. With distinct rictal bristles. Rectrices normally developed. 

 Nostril oval. 

 e'. Larger (wing more than 3.01) inches). Young distinctly spot- 

 ted TurdidsB. 



e^. Smaller (wingless than 3.00 inches). Young not spotted 



Sylviidae (Sylviince, Begtdinx). 

 d'. Without rictal bristles. Rectrices much abreviated. Nostrils 



linear Cinclidse . 



e'. Tarsi not booted, but anterior plates divided for the greater portion 

 of their length into more or less distinct segments, or "scutellse " 

 di. Bill strongly hooked Laniidse. 



*An exception to this is found in the Family Laniidce, in which the maxilla is con- 

 spicuously uncinate, with a pronounced notch and well developed tooth behind it. All 

 the other characters ot this family, however, are distinctly Passerine. 



