50 



Thus Mr. Gates separates his main families of the Passerine Birds 

 under five heads : — 

 a. With the plumage of tlie nestlirg resembling that of the adult female, but paler. 



{Corvidce, Crater opodidcn, Sittidce, Dicruridce, CertMid(S, Regididce.) 

 h. Plumage of the nestling resembling that of the adult female, but brighter. 



{Sylviidce.') 



c. Plumage of the nestling cross-barred. {Laniidce.) 



d. Plumage of the nestling streaked. {Oriolidcs, Uulabetidcs, Sturnidce.) 



e. Plumage of the nestling mottled or squamated. {Muscicapidce, Turdidce.) 



The other Passerine families eliminated from those hefore mentioned 

 by a different set of characters are the Ploceida, Nectariniidce, Hirundi- 

 nid(B, Fringillida, Motacillida, Alaudida, and Dicceida, which make up 

 the tale of the Acromyodian Passeres found in the Indian Region. 

 I have already reviewed Mr. Oates's ornithological work so fully that 

 it is not necessary for me to do more than express my opinion that it 

 will rank among the most important of those produced in the latter 

 half of this century. There is an additional advantage when a work 

 like the ' Fauna of British India ' is written by men of Mr. Oates's 

 calibre who combine with a minnte technical knowledge the experience 

 of many years spent in the jungle. Thus habits and customs of 

 birds are considered of importance in determining their affinities, and 

 by this means, perhaps better than by any other mode of classification, 

 we shall arrive at sound conclusions. 



Dr. Shufeldt in 1889 published his ' Contributions to the Comparative 

 Osteology of the Families of North- American Passeres,' and arranged 

 them in the following sequence : — 



OvAev. Suborders. Families. 



Clamatores 1. Tyrannidae. 



2. Lauiidee. 



3. Ampelidae. 

 ■t. Hirundinidae. 



5. Alaudidse. 



6. Certhiidfe. 



7. Vireonidfe. 



8. Motacillidse. 



9. Sylviidse. 

 10. Coerebidfe. 



PASSERES < Oscines -( 11. Mniotiltida?. 



12. Cinclida3. 



13. TroglodytidiB. 



14. Turdidte. 



15. Pavida?. 



16. Taragridfe. 



17. Fringillida^. 



18. Icteridfe. 



19. Sturnidse. 



20. Corvidse. 



