SINGING BIRDS — OSCINES. 3 



Wings decidedly sliorter than tlie tail, which is considerably graduated ; 

 first quill half or more than half the second. 



Bill notched at tip, shorter than head ; straight. 



Scutellae very distinct ; gonys straight, or even declining at tip. Mimus. 



Scutellse more or less obsolete; gonys convex, ascending at tip. Galeoscoptes. 



Bill not notched at tip, lengthened ; sometimes much decurved. Harporhynchus. 



Note. — In the Review of American Birds, I., May, 1866, 409, I have advanced the suggestion 

 that the N. American genus Myiadcstes, usually placed under the Ampelidce, really belongs under 

 Turdidce in a group Myiadcstinoc. The relationships are certainly very close, as is shown by the 

 characters given below. 



Common Characters. — Tarsi without regular transverse scutellse, except at lower end. 

 Wings acute, pointed, as long as or longer than tail, which is but slightly graduated. First 

 primary rarely half second, which exceeds the secondaries. Base of rpiills bufty yellow, as are 

 inner edges. Tail spotted or varied at the end. Young birds with many light spots. Very 

 melodious singers. 



Myiadestinae. Bill short, much depressed ; mouth deeply cleft ; width at base about equal 

 to the distance from nostril to tip, or greater ; commissure moi'e than twice distance from nostrils 

 to tip of bill, and nearly two and a half times length of gonys. 'Legs weak ; tarsi rather longer 

 than middle toe and claw. Tail feathers tapering slightly from base to near tip, giving a slightly 

 cuneate appearance to the tail. 



Turdinae. Bill stouter, more lengthened ; narrow at base and more compressed ; width at 

 base less than distance from nosti'il to tip ; commissure not more than twice distance from 

 nostrils to tip of bill, and about twice length of gonys. Tarsi stouter, longer than middle toe 

 and claw. Tail feathers widening slightly from base to near tip, giving a parallel-sided or 

 slightly fan-shaped appearance to the tail. 



The Ifimincc differ, as already mentioned, in the scutellate tarsi : more rounded wings, etc. — 

 S. F. B. 



Subfamily TURDIN-SI. 



There are several American genera of Turclince not found north of 

 Mexico as yet, although it is not impossible that one of these (Catharus) 

 may hereafter be detected within the limits of the United States. The 

 species of Catharus resemble the North American wood-thrushes {Hylocichla) ; 

 but the spurious or first primary quill is longer (from one half to one third the 

 second quill), the wings are rounded, not pointed, the tarsus is longer than 

 the head, and the outstretched toes extend beyond the tail. The species to 

 be looked for are C. Tnelponiene and occidentalis} 



The North American species of Turdinm, while retained under the single 

 genus Turdiis, yet constitute several distinct groups, which we may call 

 subgenera. 



Genus TURDUS, Linn^us. 



Turdus, LiNN^us, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1758, 168. (Type, Turdus visdvorus of Europe.) — 

 Baird, Rev. Am. Birds. 



Gen. Char. Bill conical, subulate, shorter than the head ; the tip gently decurved and 

 notched (except in Hesperocichla) ; the rictus with moderate bristles ; the wings rather 



^ See Baird, Review American Birds, I, 1864, 7, 8. 



