TANAGRIDaE — THE TANAGERS. 43I 



Family TAN AGRIDiE. — The Tanagers. 



Char. Primaries nine. Bill usually conical, sometimes depressed or attenuated, usually- 

 more or less triangular at base, and with the cutting edges not much inflected; sometimes 

 toothed or notched, l^egs short ; claws curved ; colors usually brilliant. 



We confess our entire inability to present a diagnosis that shall define 

 and separate satisfactorily by external characters the closely allied families 

 of CccriibidK, Si/lvicolida', Tanagridcv, and Fringillido:, agreeing as they do in 

 the main in every respect. The only attempt at distinction is based upon 

 the shape of the bill, and this in what are generally called Tanagridce pre- 

 sents every variety of shape, from the attenuation seen in Dendroica to the 

 stoutest form of the Fringillidm. The Ccercbidm have peculiarities of the 

 tongue, not appreciable, however, in the skin. In view, therefore, of the dif- 

 ficulty in question, we shall copy the conventional names and unsatisfactory 

 definitions of other authors, in our inability to present a satisfactory arrange- 

 ment of our own. 



Cams and Gerstcecker in Handbuch der Zoologie, I, 277, adopt a classifi- 

 cation of the Oseincs based on the palatine bones in which Fringillidm and 

 TanagridxE are distinguished from the Sylvicolidcc as follows : — 



Suborder OSCINES, Sundevall. Of the ten primaries, the first is short, rudimentary, 

 or wanting; the number of secondaries is rarely more than nine. Tarsus entirely booted, 

 or else with an undivided plate on the sides. Lower trachea completely formed by the 

 help of the trachea and bronchiae ; generally with four pairs of muscles, distributed before 

 and behind. 



Group I. Spizognath.e. Outer lamella of the palatine bone developed in a vertical 

 plane, with the hinder border more or less emarginated ; the anterior palatine process 

 broad, and united by a truncated border to the high and broad upper mandible. 



Family 1. Ploceidie. Ten primaries. 



Family 2. FringilUdce. Bill encircled by a more or less distinct SAvelling at base. 

 Frontal feathers not forming lateral angles. Edges of the jaws drawn in as far as the cor- 

 ner of the mouth ; nine primaries ; the first three usually longest. Legs with undivided 

 plates behind. 



Fajiily 3. Tanagridce. Bill more or less triangular at the base. Culmen always more 

 or less curved. Frequently a tooth or notch in the upper bill, sometimes fine serrations. 

 Wings moderate; somewhat pointed ; primaries nine. Tarsus and toes short and stout. 

 Hind toe stout and long. Claws curved. 



Group II. Cor.eognath^. Palatine bone broad and rather flat behind, the external 

 angles prolonged, not extended into a vertical plate. Base of bill generally narrower. 

 Primaries nine or ten. This section embraces, of North American forms : — 



Mniotiltid^e, Casrebidae, Certhiid^e, 



Motacillidse, Hirundinidje, Paridas, 



Alaudidse, Ampehdse, Icteridte, 



Sylviidae, Laniida^, Corvid^e, 



Turdidffi, Troglodytida;, 



all of which have already been described iu the present work, with the exception of the 

 last two. 



