232 GENERAL ORNITHOLOGY. 



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 (B.) BUI— curved up, extremely slender and acute (Avocet) Recurvirostrid^ 609 



— bent abruptly down, very stout, lamellate (Flamingo) Phcenicopteriu^ 678 



— lamellate; mostly membranous, with nail at end (Swans, Geese, Ducks, &c.) . . . . Anatjd^ 679 



— not lamellate; nostrils — tubular; hind toe very small (Petrels) Pkocellariid^ 773 



— not tubular ; hind toe — free, not lobed (Gulls and Terns) . . Larid^ 733 



— not free, lobed (Loons) Colymbid^ 789 



(C.) Tail — rudimentary; lores naked (Grebes) Podicipedid^ 792 



— perfect; forehead — covered with a horny shield (Coots) Rallid^ 669 



— feathered (Phalaropes) Phalaropodid^ 612 



(D.) Mid-claw — pectinate; 4tb toe 4-jointed; plumage lax (Goatsuckers) Capkmiulgid^ 447 



— not pectinate; hind toe — versatile; plumage compact (Swifts) Cypselid^ 466 



— not versatile; head — naked (go to b). 



— feathered (go to c). 

 (b.) Nostrils — imperforate; naked leg and foot shorter than tail (Turkey). . . . MELEAGRiDiDiE 576 



— perforate; naked leg and foot — shorter than tail (Turkey-buzzards) . Cathartid.*; 557 



— longer than tail (Cranes) GituiD^ G66 



(c.) Nostrils — feathered, or scaled, in deep fossa of stout hard bill Tetraonidje 576 



— not feathered nor scaled, in groove of softish bill; tarsus — reticulate (Plover) 



Charadriid^ 597 

 — scutellate in front (Snipe, &c.) 



(E.) Wing — spurred Pabrid^ 669 



— not spurred ; forehead — covered with a horny shield (Gallinules) Pallida 669 



— feathered ; length — 2 feet or more Aramid^ 667 



— under 2 feet; 1st primary — attenuate (Woodcock). . . Scolopacid.*! 614 



— not attenuate — much shorter than 2d (Kails) 



Rallid^ 669 



— about equal to 2d (Snipe, &c.) Scolopacidje 614 



or Hjematopodid^ 606 



B. [Thfi hind toe not elevated.] 



TOEB SYinJACTYLOUS; tibiae naked below; bill straight, acute (Kingfishers) ALCEDixroiE 468 



TlBI.«: KAKED BELOW. (Go to d.) 



Nostrils opening beneath soft swollen membrane. (Go to e.) 

 Bill hooked and furnished with a cere. (Go to f.) 

 B1BD8 without the above characters. (Go to g.) 



(d.) Middleclaw— pectinate (Herons) Ardeid^ 654 



— simple; tarsus — scutellate in front (Ibises) Ibidid.4: 648 



— reticulate; bill — flat, spoon-shaped (Spoonbill) . PLATALEiD.as 651 

 — not flat, stout tapering (Wood Ibis) Ciconiid^ 652 



(e.) Bird over 18 Inches long, greenish (Texan Guan) Cracid^ 572 



Birds under 18 inches long (Pigeons) Columbid^ 562 



(f.) Eyes — lateral, not surrounded by a disc; nostrils in the cere (Hawks, Eagles, &c.) . Falconid^ 519 



or Pandionid.*: 556 



— anterior; face more or less disc-like ; nostrils at edge of cere (Owls) ; middle claw — simple 



Strigid^ 502 

 — jagged 

 Aluconid^ 500 

 (g. ) Primarieb — 10 ; the 1st (never spurious) always more than § as long as longest (go to h). 



— 10; the Ist (spurious or) at most not § as long as longest (go to i). 



— 9; the 1st (never spurious) of variable length (go to U.). 



(h.) Q'ail — 12-feathered; tarsal envelope irregular (Flycatchers) Tyrannid.*: 428 



— 10-feathered; secondaries — only 6; bill subulate (Humming-birds) . . . Trochilid^ 458 



-more than 6; bill small, very short (Swifts) . . Cypselid^ 455 

 (i.) Tarsus — "booted " ; wings — shorter than tail, both much rounded ; plumage very lax Cham^id.s; 262 



— longer than tail ; tail — double-rounded Ampelid^ 325 



— not double-rounded (Thrushes, &c.) Turdid^ 240 

 — scutellate; nostrils — concealed ; bill — strongly epignathous, toothed and notched (Shrikes) 



Laniid^ 336 

 — paraguathous; — over 7 inches long (Crows and 



Jays) CoRViD.ffi 414 

 — not 7 inches ; bill — nearly = head 



(Nuthatches) Sittid^ 269 

 — scarcely or not 

 i = head (Tits) Parid^ 263 



