THE BIEDS OF NEW JERSEY. 189 



rapidly vibrating wings before some flower, resembling almost exactly 

 in size and flight the Hummingbird Moth or Sphinx, which has the 

 same habit. Sometimes we may see him rest for a time on a branch, 

 and one which often visits my garden perches on the clothesline. 



The food of the Hummingbird consists of minute insects and the 

 nectar of flowers. 



Hummingbirds are distributed throughout the State, but seem to 

 be particularly abundant in Cape May county, where their favorite 

 flower, the Trumpet Creeper, occurs as a wild plant. 



Order PASSERES. 



Perching Birds. 



To this order belong nearly all of our familiar inland birds — almost 

 one-half of the total number of species found in the State. Of the 

 167 species of land birds (exclusive of birds of prey and game birds), 

 152 belong to this group. 



They comprise all our most valuable insect destroyers and song 

 birds — such as Sparrows, Warblers, Thrushes, Wrens, Swallows, etc. 



GENERAL KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PASSERINE BIRDS. 



Special keys are given under each famih^, but as it is difhcult to 

 select obvious family characters except in a few instances, this general 

 key has been prepared, by which any of the smaller land birds may be 

 identified or referred to their proper families, except the Woodpeckers, 

 Kingfisher, Cuckoos, Whip-poor-will, Night Hawk, Swift and Hum- 

 mingbird, which have already been covered in the key to higher groups 

 on p. 36. 



a. Bill distinctly fat, broad at the base, and well provided with bristles; 



head slightly crested ; colors plain white, gray or pale yellow below ; 



brown, olive or slaty above. FLYCAxcnERS, p. 193 



aa. Bill very short and broad, gape very deeply cleft, more than twice as long 



as the bill ; outer primary more than twice as long as the innermost. 



Swallows, p. 250 

 aaa. Bill with mandibles crossed. Crossbills, p. 223 



