941 



KEY TO THE FAMILIES. 



Order i. PASSERES. 



Perching Birds. 



About two-fifths of all Washington birds belong to this order. They are relatively small birds, the 

 Raven being the largest, and the Kinglets are only a little larger than Htunmingbirds. The develop- 

 ment of song is the greatest within this group, and in mental capacity the much maligned Crow stands 

 well aliove most Mannnals. While it is not easy to describe the group as a whole one soon learns to 

 distinguish its members from other birds readily by their combination of characters. 



I. Back of tarsus rounded like the front. 

 A. Bill hooked at the tip. 



B. 



B. Bill rounded, not hooked. 

 II. Back of tarsus sharp. 

 A. Bill hooked at tip. 



1. Large, over 8.50 inches long. 



2. Small, under 6.50 inches long. 



3. With a distinct crest : tail tipped with yellow. 

 Bill not hooked at tip. 



With only g primaries. 



a. Bill very short, wings long and pointed. 



b. Bill moderate, wings moderate, 

 (i). Bill stout, cone-shaped. 



(a ). Bill not notched, 

 (b). Bill notched. 



(a>). Nostrils exposed. 

 (111). Nostrils concealed by feathers. 

 (2). Bill slender, not cone-shaped. 



(a). Hind claw long and straightened." 

 (b). Hind claw not lengthened. 

 . With 10 primaries. 



a. Upper part of tarsus not divided into scales, 

 (i). Wing more than 3.00. 



(a). With liristles at the corner of the mouth, 

 (b). No bristles at the corner of the mouth. 

 (2). Wing less than 2.50. 



b. Whole tarsus divided into scales. 

 (i). Tail feathers stiff, pointed at tip. 

 (2). Tail feathers normal. 



(a). Nostrils covered by stiff, bristly feathers, 

 (b). Nostrils without bristly tufts. 



(a'). First primary about half as long as the 



longest one. 

 (b'). First primary about a third as long as the 

 longest one. 



TvRANNiDAK. Flycatchers 

 Alaudidae. Larks. 



16. Laniidae. Shrikes. 



17. ViREONinAE. ViREOS. 



15. Ami'Elidae. Waxwings. 



14. Hirundinidae. Swallows 



2. IcTERiDAE. Blackbirds, etc. 



4. Tanachidae. Tanagers. 



3. Frincillidae. Sparrows, etc. 



MoTACILLIDAE. 



Mniotiltidae. 



Pipits. 



Wood Warblers. 



TliRDIIlAE. 



Cinclidae. 

 Sylviidae. 



Thrushes. 

 Dippers. 

 Kinglets. 



11. Certhiidae. Creepers. 

 I. CoRviDAE. Crows, etc. 



12. Troglodvtidae. Wrens, Thrashers, 



ETC. 



Paridae. 



Titmice, Nuthatches. 



Order 2. MACROCHIRES. Goat.suckers, Swifts, Hummingbirds, 



All members of this order eat insects, but the Hummingbirds also eat the nectar which they suck 

 from blossoms. Their great powers of flight are sufficiently shown in their great expanse of wing and 

 extremely weak feet, and their insect eating habits by the small bill and huge mouth. 



I. W^ing over 6.50. 2. Caprimulgidae. Nighthawk, 



Poorwill. 



II. Wing about 5.00. . 3. Micropodidae. Swifts. 



III. Wing under 2.00. ' i. Trochilidae. Hummingbirds. 



