viii SYSTEMATIC ARRANCrEMEN f OF THE GENERA OF BIRDS 



brane. Wings nioilerate, loiuulcd, lirst feather short, fourth and 

 fifth longest. Tail of twelve feathers, long, stiff, pointed, slightly 

 decurved. Eeet 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. Trogl6dytes (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 and curved. Plumage long 

 and soft. Page 48 



FAMILY CINCLID.E 



19. CiNCLUS (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 5 1 



FAMILY ORIOLID.E 



Bill with, notch in upper mandible; nostrils placed well in front of base 

 of bill and quite bare. 



20. Oriolvs (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 STURNID^ 



(Starlings) 



Bill nearly straight, short at the base, diminishing regularly to a 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 species for 

 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. Sturnus (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 



