FLYCATCIIEllS. 401 



ORDER CLAMATORES. SONGLESS PERCHERS. 



Base of hind ti)L' on a Ifvel with the t'lree anterior toes, wliich are not eapal)k' of 

 any extended lateral movement. Front sc^ales of tarsus extending- nearly around to the 

 back, and the eoinparativelv narrow sjjace Uetween the educes is protected by scales which 

 are flattened or rounded, not projected backward into a sharp ridge. Inferior laryux pro- 

 vided with less than six pairs of vocal muscles. The steruo-trachealis has its origin above 

 all of the other muscles. Prim.aries, ten. Tail feathers, twelve. Mirginal indeudatious 

 of stermmi, two, and tliey ecpial in de])tli, at least one fourth the lengtli of the top of the 

 keel. Keel moderate, but exceeding; in hight one hall' the width of the sternum, but it is 

 never as high as the sternum is broad. (See plate XIV; tigs. 7, IS, and 19.) 



In this edition I have conclurlerl to elevate the ijroup of birds, which iu the old edition I coiisiilered 

 a section of the order Insessores, to the raid<, of order, as I now re;2:ard the birds containeil in this group as 

 fully and consistent!}' entitled to this rank. Talccn as a sroup, the b'rds in the order Ckmatores are dis- 

 tinctly different fi-om those in tlie fjlluwing order: although some species among the Oscines approach quite 

 nearly to some members of the present order, for example the Redstart and other ^catching warblers, also 

 the waxwings. But as far my studies of both groups go, there is no difficulty in seporating them by one 

 well defined and constant character, the muscles of the inferior laryn.x. 



These muscles are restricted to what are practically four pa'.rs only- 

 ■^ The steruo-trachealis is always present, (Sec plate XIV where at 



1 I have given the figure of the inferior, larynx, considerably cn- 



11 larsrcd, of a King bird. St. is the storuo-trachealis) and on ac- 

 1) " 



count of the great abridgment of the broncho trachealis, (the up- 

 Trarsu^ofKin^bini, u. T^^ffinr Grosbeak; l^r portions not Coalescing as in members of the following order) it 

 both coiisi>icrabiy eniaigi-d. bas its origin on the tracliea far above all of the Other muscles. 



The very much abbreviated and probably functionless. broncho-trachoalis muscles, ib. ba. and bp , 

 rearly form a portion of the bronchialis which is not divided into three as in members of the Oscines, but 

 which is fused into one, (See ib. B. B.) the function uf this being to aid in tensifying the ujiper portion of 

 the tympaniform membrane, which is the only vibrating vocal organ which members of this group possess, 

 although in many genera there is a trace of a semiluna membrane, but this is, as far as I have seen, always 

 so rudimentry as to be functionless. The absence of the sharp ridge on the back of the tarsus, founl 

 on most all members of the Oscines, is a character rarely ever found in members of this order. The ex- 

 tention of the scales of the front portion of the tarsus of a Gniy Kingbinl miy be seen in the accompan.'. 

 in" fi.;ure, A, being the tarsus of the Kingbird enlarged anl B, th it of a Pine Grosbeak drawn on the same 

 scale. Also compare with other figures and remarks given under the following ordvr. 



FAMILY I. TYRAXXIDAE. THE TYRAXT FLYCATCHERS. 



Bill, more or less triangular in form, wider than high at base, and the upi)er mandilile is abruptly curvcil 

 .at the tip, which is notched. Nasal and loral region at base of upper rauidible provided with stiff bnstlis 

 •which also very often occur on the chin. Sternum, broad with high keel. 



This is a large family with dull colors, occasionally relieved by yellow below or by bright markings 

 on the crown. The differences between the various genera are slight, although constant. 1 have made some 

 chano-es in the arrangment of the genera, based mainly up m anatomical characters. The tympaniform mem- 

 brane is always present but, although I have found the os transversale in all that I have examined, 

 I have never seen the semiluna membrane. The coracoids are short, but are set on at an angle, causing 

 •the furcuUr to be well arched, and its terminal process is short. 



GENUS L MYIARCIIUS. THE CRESTED I'-LYCATCIIERS. 

 Gex. Cii. Bill, about as long as the head, which is crested, but without a bright central patch of feathers. 

 ■ Outer quills, not incised. Tail, slightly rounded. Height of keel,- less than one half the length ofcoracoit.ls. 



