INTRODUCTION. XVU 



the third or fifth the longest in the wing. Tail moderate, square or forked. 

 Tarsus scutellated in front, covered at the sides by a single plate ; toes stout ; 

 claws moderately curved, rather short (p. 195). 



LoxiA, Linmtus. — Bill hard, strong, thick at the base, much compressed towards 

 the tip, the lower mandible curving upwards and its point crossing that of 

 the upper mandible. Nostrils round, basal, hidden by thick projecting 

 bristly plumes. Wings long, pointed ; the first primary very small but 

 visible, the second generally the longest. Tail short, forked. Tarsus short 

 and stout, scutellated in front ; toes short ; claws moderately curved (p. 201). 



Subfamily Emberizin.i^. 



Angle of the lower mandible strongly marked, and a distinct gap in the outline 

 of the closed bill. 



Emeeriza, Linnaus. — -Bill hard, conical and short ; the upper mandible not 

 wider than the lower, the edges of both inflected and those of the latter 

 gradually cut away ; the palate generally furnished with a projecting bony 

 knob. Nostrils oval, basal, and placed somewhat near the culmen, partly 

 hidden by small feathers. Gape angular. Wings moderate ; first primary 

 minute, second, third and fourth nearly equal. Tail rather long and slightly 

 forked. Tarsus scutellated in front, covered at the sides with an undivided 

 plate forming a sharp ridge behind, almost as long as the middle toe ; claws 

 considerably curved, that of the hind toe of moderate length (p. 205). 



Calcarius, Bechstein. — Bill with considerably inflected cutting edges ; claws of 

 the front toes short and slightly curved ; hind claw nearly straight and 

 elongated ; other characters much as in the previous genus (p. 223). 



Pi.ECTROPHENAX, Stejneger. — Bill with the upper mandible narrower than the 

 lower, the edges of both inflected and those of the latter sinuated ; the 

 palate furnished with a projecting bony knob. Nostrils as in Einberiza. 

 Wings long and pointed ; the first primary minute, second and third nearly 

 equal and the longest in the wing, but the fourth considerably longer than 

 the fifth. Tail moderate and slightly forked. Tarsus about as long as the 

 middle toe. Front claws rather long and curved ; hind claw considerably 

 curved and elongated (p. 225). 



Family STURNID^. 



Sturnus, Liniiitus. — Bill as long as the head, almost straight, blunt at the tip, 

 depressed so as to be wider than high ; edges of the upper mandible extend- 

 ing over those of the lower, and both quite smooth. Nostrils basal and partly 

 covered by an operculum. Gape angular and free from bristles. Feathers 

 of the head and anterior part of the body pointed and elongated. Wings 

 long, pointed, with ten primaries ; the first minute and attenuated, the second 

 and third nearly equal and the longest. Tail short, the feathers diverging at 

 the tip. Tarsus scutellated in front, covered at the sides by an undivided 

 plate, forming a sharp ridge behind ; claws short and moderately curved 

 (p. 227). 



Pastor, Teminimk. — Bill moderate, convex above, straight beneath, compressed, 

 the upper mandible notched and slightly decurved. Nostrils basal, partly 

 closed by a membrane covered with small feathers. Feathers on the crown 



b 



