496 PASSERIFORMES CHAP. 
Dr, STEJNEGER, Dr. SHARPE. 
Meliphagidae. Tanagridae. 
Nectarinvidae. Ploceidae. 
Dicaeidae. Icteridae. 
Oriolidae. 
Dicruridae. 
Eurycerotidae. 
Certhiidae. 
Coerebidae. 
eae ote itida es Eulabetidae. 
Tanagridae. Sturnidae. 
Ploceidae. Ptilonorhynchidae. 
Icteridae. Paradiseidae. 
Fringillidae. Corvidae. 
As regards structure, the Oscines have one posterior incision 
or fenestra on each side of the sternum; the furcula is U-shaped ; 
the tongue is variable, as is the syrinx (pp. 13, 21, 22, 467); the 
nostrils may be pervious or impervious; an after-shaft is nearly 
always present, though comparatively weak ; down occurs sparingly 
on the bind young, and is absent, or only found on the unfeathered 
spaces, In adults. The primaries number ten or eleven; the second- 
aries nineteen, twenty, or even more; the rectrices normally twelve. 
The form of the bill, wings, and tail are discussed under the 
different Famihes; the metatarsus exceptionally is smooth in front, 
but is ordinarily scutellated, while behind it is smooth and generally 
compressed, except in the Alaudidae, which, having it scutellated 
posteriorly, are termed scutelliplantar, as opposed to laminiplantar 
(with one horny growth behind). The hallux is the strongest toe. 
Of fossil forms of Oscines, Osteornis (Protornis) of the Lower 
Eocene of Glarus in Switzerland may be Passerine ; Palaegithalus 
(Sylviinae) and Zaurillardia (Sturnidae) have been found in the 
French Upper Eocene ; Palaecospiza (Fringillidae) in the Oligocene 
of Colorado; Motacilla, Turdus, Lanius, Corvus, Fringilla, and 
Loxia in the French Miocene or in the Breccia of Italy; Scolephaqus 
and Corvus in the Pliocene of Oregon ; Palaeocorax in the Chatham 
Islands ; an extinct Foudia (Fringillidae) in Réunion. 
Fam. I. Alaudidae.—The Larks inhabit the Palaearctic, 
Indian, and Ethiopian Regions, only one genus (Otocorys), with 
many races, being found in America, and one (M/irafra) in the 
Australian Region, Of the former, O. peregrina occurs as far 
south as Bogota, while the latter is found in Australa and Flores. 
M. hova is peculiar to Madagascar, JZ javanica to Borneo and 
Java, Spizilauda deva to India. <Alauda arvensis, the Sky-Lark, 
and Lullula arborea, the Wood-Lark, alone breed in Britain: but 
Otocorys alpestris, the Shore-Lark, is a regular winter-visitor 
