76 MANUAL 



row, and pointed, and when the bird is at rest overlapping 

 each other behind ; tail of ten feathers, which are more or 

 less stiffened and with the mid-rib extending beyond the 

 feathered portion in some species. There are 2 sub-families. 



Sub-family a CYPSELIN-ffi True Swifts 



The tarsus and toes being feathered. 

 Gexus Panyptila (or Cypselus), The White-throated Swift. 



Sub-family b CH-SITURIN^ Swallow Swifts 



The tarsus and toes unfeathered and naked. 



Genera Nephoecetes (or Cypseloides), The Black Swift. 

 Chcetura, The Chimney Swifts (2 species). 



FAMILY XXII TROCHILIDAE THE HUM- 

 MING BIRDS 



Probably Latin trochilus, " a very small bird, perhaps the Golden-crested 

 Wren" ; Greek trochilos a name used for the "wren." 



This is another group easily di.stinguishable from any other 

 family, at least of North American birds, and, except to fol- 

 low out our plan, it would not be necessary to minutely define 

 it here. Though similar to the Swifts in many respects they 

 are, in reality, unlike any other family with which we shall 

 have to deal. The family, however, presents a variety of feat- 

 ures which are similar to those in other families — individual 

 features, that is — for instance : the wings resemble those of 

 the Swifts ; the base of the tongue curves back behind the 

 skull, as in the Woodpeckers ; with other peculiarities of struc- 

 ture corresponding more or less closely to those of still other 

 families. 



Humming Birds are peculiar to the continents of North and 

 South America. Though mostly tropical, their variation in 

 shapes of bill, wings, tail, plumage, as well as in general col- 

 oration, is something extraordinary and remarkable. Their 

 food consists in great measure of insects, with a strong ad- 

 mixture of the honeyed sweets of the flowers about which 

 they so continually hover. The exclusively North American 

 species are few and much similar in appearance. 



