^^ NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



North America," modified somewhat in accordance with more recent views 

 of Professor Sundevall and others. But before proceeding to the analysis 

 of the families, I will introduce an artificial clew to the preceding higher 

 groups as adopted, so far as they are represented by North American 

 species. 



ARTIFICIAL KEY TO THE FOEEGOING HIGHER GROUPS, 



By means of tvhich any North American bird may he readily referred to that group to ivhich it 



is lield to belong. 



I. Toes 3 ; 2 in IVont, 1 behind (Pici) PiCARi.t;. 



II. Toes 3 ; all in front. Toes cleft or semipalmate . ..... Limicol.^^. 



Toes palmate. Nostrils tubular .... Longipennes. 



Nostrils not tubular . . . Pygopodes. 



III. Toes 4 ; 2 in front, 2 behind. Bill cered and hooked P.sittaci. 



Bill neither cered nor hooked. (C'uculi or Pici) Fwatam. 

 IV. Toes 4 ; 3 in front, 1 behind. 



1. Toes syndactyle (Cuculi) PiCAPJa:. 



2. Toes totipalniate (all four full-webbed) Steganopodes. 



3. Toes palmate. Bill curved up L1MICOL.E. 



Bill not curved up ; lamellate .... Lamellirostres. 



not lamellate ; hallux lobate . Pygopodes. 



liallux not lobate Longipennes. 



4. Toes lobate. Tail rudimentary Pygopodes. 



Tail perfect. A horny frontal shield . . . Alectorides. 



No horny frontal shield .... Iamicolm. 



5. Toes semipalmate ; joined by evident movable basal web (A). 



6. Toes cleft to the base, or there immovably coherent (B). 

 A. Hind toe elevated above the level of the rest. 



TibiEe naked below. Nostrils perforate Alectorides. 



Nostrils imperforate. Tarsi reticulate. Head bald . Herodiones. 



Head feathered Limicol^. 

 Tarsi scutellate in front . . LiMiooLiE. 



Tibiffi feathered below. Nostrils perforate Raptores. 



Nostrils imperforate. Gape reaching below eye. (Cyjyseli) Ticavam. 

 Gape not reaching below eye . . Gallin^e. 

 AA. Hind toe inserted on the level of the I'est. 



Tibise naked below Herodiones. 



Tibiaj feathered below. Bill cered and hooked Raptores. 



Bill not cered. Nasal membrane soft and tumid . Columb^. 

 Na.sal scale hard and flat . . . Gallin^e. 

 B* Hind toe elevated above the level of the rest. 



Gape reaching below eye . . . . . • • • ■ {Cypseii) PicarIjE. 



Gape not below eye. First primary emarginate or about equal to 2d . . L1MIC0L.S;. 

 First primary not emarginate and much shorter than 2d, Alectorides. 

 BB> Hind toe inserted on the level of the rest. 



Nostrils opening beneath soft swollen membrane ....•• CoLUMBiE. 



Nostrils otherwise. Bill cered and hooked Raptores. 



Bill otherwise. Secondaries only .six . . {Cypseii) Picari^. 



Secondaries more than six (a) . . . Passeres. 



(a) Primaries 10 ; the 1st more than I as long as the longe-st. (Clamatorcs) Passeres. 



Primaries 10 ; the 1st not § as long as the longest. ) (^^^^-^^^^ _ .Passeres. 



Primaries 9. ) 



