viii SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF THE GENERA OF BIRDS 
brane. Wings moderate, rounded, first feather short, fourth and 
fifth longest. Tail of twelve feathers, long, stiff, pointed, slightly 
decurved. Feet large, tarsus slender; fore toes long, united at 
base as far as first joint; claws moderate, but much curved ; hind 
toe short, but with long curved claw. Plumage soft and thick, 
especially above. Page 47 
FAMILY TROGLODYTID 
18. TROGLO6ODYTES (Wren). Bill moderate, compressed, slightly curved 
not notched, pointed. Nostrils basal, oval, partly covered by 
membrane. Wings short, concave, rounded; first quill rather 
short, fourth or fifth longest. Tail generally short; its feathers 
soft and rounded. Tarsus rather long and strong, middle toe united 
at base to outer but not to inner toe; hind toe as long or longer 
than middle toe; claws long, stout andcurved, Plumage long 
and soft. Page 48 
FAMILY CINCLIDZ 
19. CrincLus (Dipper). Bill moderate, slightly ascending, angular, higher 
than broad at base, straight, compressed, and rounded near tip; 
upper mandible slightly decurving at point. Nostrils basal, lateral; 
in depression, cleft longitudinally, partly covered by membrane. 
Gape very narrow, without bristles. Wings short, broad, convex ; 
first quill very short, second not so long as third or fourth, which 
are nearly equal. Tail short. Legs feathered to tibio-tarsal joint ; 
tarsus longer than middle toe; lateral toes equal in length, outer 
toe slightly connected with middle. Whole body closely covered 
with down. Page 51 
FAMILY ORIOLIDZ 
Bill with notch in upper mandible; nostrils placed well in front of base 
of bill and quite bare. 
20. ORI6LUS (Oriole). Bill an elongated cone, depressed at the base; 
upper mandible keeled above, notched near the point, bending 
over the lower one; nostrils basal, lateral, naked, pierced hori- 
zontally in a large membrane; tarsus not longer than the middle 
toe; wings moderate; first primary very short, second shorter 
than the third, which is the longest. Page 53 
FAMILY STURNIDZ 
(STARLINGS) 
Bill nearly straight, short at the base, diminishing regularly toa sharp 
point, which is not distinctly notched ; the ridge of the upper mandible; 
ascends upon the forehead, ‘dividing the plumage of that part; nostrils 
placed low in the bill; planta tarsi entire ; wings moderate, not reaching to 
end of tail. An extensive and widely diffused family, comprising speciesfor 
the most part above the average size of Passerine birds, yet inferior 
to the Crows. They are in general social, feeding much on the ground; 
their legs and feet are robust, their gait stately, their plumage, though com- 
monly of dark colours, is lustrous, with reflections of steel-blue, purple, or 
green. 
21. StTuRnus (Starling). Bill straight, forming an elongated cone, depressed 
broad at the base, bluntish; upper mandible broader than the 
lower ; nostrils at the base of the bill, partly closed by an arched 
membrane; first primary very short, second longest. Page 54 
