AMPELID^. 



211 



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Family AMPELIDtE. 



The genus Ampelis, which is the typical form of the Chatterers, is 

 characterized by coloured appendages to the feathers of the wing 

 and tail, in two species taking the fonn of wax-Like drops, whence 

 the popular name of Waxwing. A swollen biU with rounded nasal 

 aperture and a long silky crest are also distinguishing features of 

 A^npelis. In America, besides the latter genus, there occur a few 

 others, whose affinity to Amjyelis seems unqiiestionable ; but it is 

 quite possible that in a future re-arrangement of the Passeriformes 

 the Ampelido' will be suppressed as a family, as its characters are 

 not clearly definable, especially when Dulns is retained within its 

 limits. More than one ornithologist, however, have questioned the 

 propriety of associating Dulus with the Ampelidcv ; but as I cannot 

 propose a better location for the genus in the allied families, I have 

 deemed it best to follow Professor Baird in his limitation of the 

 family. 



Key to the Genera, 



a. Wing longer than the tail. 



a'. Wing very long, falling short of tail by no 

 more than length of tarsus; nasal plumes 

 extending beyond nasal opening and hiding 

 the latter ; wax-hke or red tips to the 

 secondaries and tail-feathers in the adidts 1. Ampelis, p. 212. 

 b'. Wing sborter, the distance between the tips 

 of the primaries and the tips of the tad- 

 feathers much exceeding the length of the 

 tarsus ; upper edge of nostrils bare. 

 a". Bill stout and Finch-like, the chin-angle 

 conspicuously rounded ; nostrils roimded, 



not placed in a groove 2. Pulus, p. 218. 



b". Bill more elongated, the chin-angle more 

 acute; nostrils oval, situated in a dis- 

 tinct groove 3. Phainoptila, 



b. Tail longer than the wing. [p. 219. 

 c'. Tad square ; nostrils overhung with frontal 



feathers ; nasal gi'oove a large oval, the 

 opening of the nostril being a small aperture 

 in the lower part of a large membrane 

 which occupies the whole of the nasal 



depression 4. Phainopepla, 



d'. Tail square or strongly graduated ; nostrils [p. 220, 



exposed, with a large oval nasal aperture 



with a posterior membrane 5. Ptilogonts, 



[p. 222. 

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