BIRDS. 39 



behiud ( in a few cases, back of tarsus without ridge, and formed 

 of a few scutella distinct from those lapping over the front); first 

 primary short, spurious or wanting, if present, not more than 

 two-thirds of the longest ; musical apparatus highly developed. 

 * First primary short or spurious ; (primaries 10). 

 f Tarsus booted ; rictus with bristles. 



«. Middle toe quite free from inner; birds ot moderate size, 



length more than 6. 



b. Wings moderate, not reaching when folded beyond the 



middle of tail, and not more than one-third longer 



than tail; tip of wing formed by 3d to 6th quill; no 



blue TuuDiD/E, 18. 



hh. Wings very long, pointed, reaching beyond middle of 

 tail, and more than half longer; tip of wing formed 

 by 2d to 4th quills ; ours chiefly blue. SaxicoliD/E, 19. 



«a. Middle and inner toes connected at base; small, length 



less than 5 Sylviid^, 20. 



ff Tarsus scutellate in front. 

 c. Nostrils concealed by tufts of antrorse, bristly leathers. 



d First primary not more than half length of second ; bill 

 not notched ; length less than 8. 



e. Bill as long as head ; wings pointed, much longer than 

 tail SiTTiD^:, 22. 



ee. Bill much shorter than head ; wings about as long as 

 tail Parid/K, 21. 



eld. First primary more than half length of second ; bill 

 usually notched, the bristly nasal feathers branched to 

 their tips; large, length more than 8. Corvid/E, 35. 



cc. Nostrils exposed (rarely slightly overhung). 



/. Bill distinctly notched near its tip, often hooked. 



g. Tail longer than wings ; general color gray or ashy- 

 brown. 

 h. Bill very stout, compressed, strongly notched, toothed 

 and abruptly hooked at tip ; large, length 8 to 9. 



Laniid^, 32. 



hh. Bill more slender, not deeply notched nor abruptly 



hooked ; length 8 to 10. . . Turdid^, 18. 



