xxvi NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



appressed bristles. Nostrils wliolly in the cere. Outer toe rarely versatile, 

 except Pandion^ etc. ; not shorter than the inner. Basal phalanx of middle 

 toe longer than the second. Legs commonly naked and scutellate or reticu- 

 late in some portion of their length ; toes always bare and scaly. Plumage 

 compact, usually with after-shafts ; flight audible. Cranial walls with little 

 diploe. Sternum commonly single-notched or fenestrate, sometimes entire. 



Diurnal ' Falconidce. 



Feet scarcely raptorial, with lengthened, little curved or contractile, weak, short 

 claws. Hallux elevated, shortened, not more than half as long as the fourth toe, 

 with small claw. Front toes all webbed at base; middle toe lengthened; outer 

 not reversible. Basal phalanx of middle toe longer than either of the succeeding. 

 Nostrils perforate. Bill lengthened and comparatively weak, little hooked, con- 

 tracted in its continuity ; tomia not toothed or lobed. Head naked of feathers 

 in greatest part; sparsely bristly. No lower larnyx developed. No coeca. 

 After-shafts absent Cathartidce. 



Family of COLUMBJEj. 



With characters essentially as in Cohimhce (exclusive of those peculiar to Di- 

 duncudidce and Dididce). Plumage without after-shafts; the feathers with thick- 

 ened, spongy rhachis loosely inserted in the skin. Head small, completely 

 feathered, excepting sometimes a circumorbital space. Tarsi naked or only 

 feathered a little way above. Tail of twelve feathers, or lengthened, cuneate, and 

 of fourteen. (Hallux not perfectly incumbent in Starnmnas.) . . . Columbidce. 



Analysis of Families of GALLIN.S1. 



Hind toe lengthened, insistent. Tail-feathers twelve. Sides of head and 



throat with naked spaces. Color greenish Cracidce. 



Hind toe shortened, elevated. Tail-feathers usually fourteen or more. No 

 green. 



Large. Tarsi, toes, and nasal fossse naked. Head bare of feathers, sparsely 

 bristly, with wattles and caruncles. A pectoral tuft of bristly feathers. 

 Tarsi usually spurred in the male. Plumage iridescent . . . Meleagrididce. 



Medium. Tarsi wholly or in great part, sometimes also the toes, and always 

 the nasal fossae, feathered. Head completely feathered, excepting a definite 

 papillate strip over the eye. Tail-feathers sixteen or more. Sides of neck 

 usually with lengthened feathers, or a naked distensible area, or both. No 

 spurs. Plumage without iridescence ....... TetraonidcB. 



Small. Tarsi, toes, and nasal fossae naked. Head completely feathered. 

 No peculiar feathers or tympanum on sides of neck. No spurs. Plumage 

 not iridescent ............ Perdicidce. 



Analysis of Families of LIMICOL.Si. 



Toes not lobate. Tarsi not notably compressed. 



Legs extremely long ; the tarsus equalling or exceeding the tail, and feet 

 either four-toed and palmate (Recurvirostra), or three-toed and semipal- 

 mate (Himantopus) ; with the bill much longer than the head, very slender, 

 acute, and curved upward ........ Recurvirostridce. 



Legs moderate,, stout. Tarsus shorter than tail. Bill hard, more or less 

 contracted at base, with short nasal fossa, gonydeal angle, and ascending 



