BIRDS — LIOTRICHIDAE — MIMIIS 343 



Faniily LIOTRICHIDAE. 



Wings short, concave, and rounded, the outer four or five primaries graduated ; the first usually more than half the second. 

 Tarsi long and generally very strongly scutellate ; the basal joint of the middle toe free nearly to the base internally, and half 

 way externally. Bill slender, straight or curved, generally as long as or longer than the head ; but little notched, or not at all. 



This extensive family embraces many forms highly varied in character, and distributed 

 originally very widely in ornithological systems. The credit of rearranging these in a natural 

 series is, in a great measure, due to Dr. Cabanis. 



The following sub-families are included in the North American species of this family : 



MiMiNAB. — Tail long, vaulted at the base ; the feathers more or less graduated. Size large ; 

 general apjiearance Thrush-like. Kictus with distinct bristles. Frontal feathers normal, 

 directed backwards. Anterior half of outer side of tarsi distinctly scutellate. 



CAMPYiiORHYNCHiNAE. — Size medium. Tail feathers broad, plane ; tail rounded ; rictus without 

 bristles. 



Tkoglodytinae. — Size very small. Tail graduated, convex above. Eictus without bristles. 



Chamaeanae. — Size small. Tail very greatly graduated, much longer than the wings. 

 Eictus with long bristles ; frontal feathers bristly, directed forward. Whole outer side of tarsi 

 continuous and undivided. 



Sub-Family MIMINAE. 



The Miminae are all of large size, and, as already stated, have a Thrush-like appearance, 

 which has caused them to be placed by most authors among the Turdidae. From these, how- 

 ever, they are readily distinguished by the usually much longer, or decurved bill, the short and 

 graduated wings, the long graduated tail, and the strongly scutellate legs. The frontal 

 feathers, and, to a certain extent, the loral, are all soft, compact, and, like the rest, without any 

 inversion or extension into bristly points. As in the wrens (but not in Chamaea,) the entire 

 anterior half of the tarsi is embraced by a succession of scutellae which bend round to the 

 middle of the sides, where their lateral margins are distinctly defined. 



It is very difficult to draw the line between this sub-family and the wrens ; the chief difference 

 lies in the larger size and bristled gape. The nostrils are round or broadly oval, with but little 

 of a membrane above them, such as is seen in the wrens, where the nostrils are more linear. 



Of the subdivisions of this group, Mimus has a bill shorter, or not longer than the head, and 

 distinctly notched ; while in Harporhynchus and its sub-genera the bill is longer, more decurved, 

 and without notch. Oroscoptes differs from both in the longer and more pointed wings, and 

 much less graduated tail. 



MIMUS, Boie 



Mimus, Boie, Isis, Oct. 1826, 972. Type Turdus polyglotlus . 

 Oiplieus, SwAiNsoN, Zool. .Tour. Ill, 1827, 1()7. Same type. 



Ch. — Bill shorter than the head, decurved from the base ; distinctly notched at tip. Tarsi longer than the middle toe ; 

 lateral toes equal, not reaching the base of the middle claw, and shorter than the hind toe, the claw of which is half the total 

 length. Tail variable ; equal to or longer than the wings, moderately graduated. Wings rounded ; the exposed portion of the 

 first nearly or quite half that of the second, which is considerably shorter than the third. 



This genus is distinguished from Harporhynclms by the shorter bill, (less than the length of 

 the head,) and with a more distinct notch. The lower jaw is smooth, without the distinct 



