104 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Family MOTACILLIDJE. — The Wagtails. 



Char. Bill slender, conical, nearly as higii as wide at the base, with slight notch at the 

 tip ; the cuhnen slightly concave above the anterior extremity of the nostrils ; short bris- 

 tles at gape, which, however, do not extend forward to nostrils. Loral feathers soft and 

 dense, bnt with bristly points ; nasal groove filled with naked membrane, with the elon- 

 gated nostrils in lower edge ; the frontal feathers coming up to the aperture, but not directed 

 forward nor overhanging it. Wings lengthened and sharp-pointed; the primaries nine 

 (without spurious first), of which the first three to five, considerably longer than the 

 succeeding, form the tip ; the exterior secondaries generally much emarginated at the 

 ends; the inner secondaries (so-called tertials) nearly equal to the longest primaries. The 

 tail rather narrow, emarginate. Tarsi lengthened, scutellate anteriorly only, the hind claw 

 usually very long, acute, and but slightly curved (except in Mofacilla). Inner toe cleft 

 almost to the very base, outer adherent for basal joint only. 



The combination of naked nostrils, notched bill, and nine primaries, with 

 the tarsi scutellate anteriorly only, will at once distinguish the AntJmice of 

 this family from the Alaudidw, which they so closely resemble in coloration, 

 habits, and lengthened hind claw. The lengthened, slightly curved hind 

 claw, much pointed wings, emarginated secondaries, — the inner ones nearly 

 as long as the primaries, — distinguish the family from the Sylvicolidm, with 

 which also it has near relationships. 



Subfamilies and Genera. 



Motacillinae. Tail longer than or equal to wings ; the two central feathers rather 

 longer than lateral ; the feathers broadest in middle, whence they taper gradually 

 to the rounded tip. Colors uniform : gray, black, yellowish ; without pale edges 

 to feathers above, or streaks below. 



Tail from coccyx considerably longer than the wings, doubly forked. Hind 



claw shorter than the toe; decidedly curved Motacilla. 



Tail from coccyx equal to the wings, slightly graduated. Hind claw de- 

 cidedly longer than the toe, slightly curved . Budytes. 



Anthinae. Tail shorter than the wings, emarginate at end, the two central 

 shorter than lateral ; the feathers broadest near the end, and rounding rapidly at 

 end. Above grayish-brown, the feathers edged with paler. Under parts streaked. 

 Wings much pointed and lengthened. 



Hind toe and claw shorter than tarsus ; outstretched toes falling short 



oftipoftail Anthus. 



Hind toe and claw longer than tarsus ; outstretched toes extending be- 

 yond tip of tail • Neocortjs. 



Wings short and rounded. 



Point of wings formed by outer four primaries of nearly equal 



length Notiocorys} 



Point of wing formed by outer five primaries, the first shorter than 

 the third Pediocorys} 



1 N. rufa, Baird. {Alauda rufa, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 798.) 



2 P. hogotensis, Baird. {Anthiis bogotensis, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1855, 109, pi. ci.) 



