210 THE STORY OF THE BIRDS. 
the swifts, akin beyond further still to the humming 
birds. These latter stand on the border of the true 
perchers. 
Starting from the swifts, in another direction are 
the collies, leading toward the Kingfisher group. This 
kinship is not very definite. 
The birds hereabout the kingfishers are too tedious 
and irregular in kinship for our discussion. The mot- 
mots on our southern border have toes like the king- 
fisher. Farther apart are the trogons, which are un- 
like any other birds, in reversing the ¢nner toe. 
From somewhere in this chaos come the broadbill 
and the lyre bird with striking, yet not perfect Pas- 
serine qualities. The latter has song muscles, and 
yet a down-covered nestling—a wonderful connect- 
ing link. 
The Passeres, or true perchers, are unique in hav- 
ing a single and distinct tendon to bend the rear toe, 
and it only. The humming birds are the nearest ap- 
proach to it. Roughly, there are the clamatorial Pas- 
seres, who have not a good singing syrinx, and the 
Oscines, whose song muscles are many and admirably 
arranged to change pitch and volume in their tones. 
Between these are some gradations, and in the true 
singers there are some, like the crow, that are not so 
musical as some low plovers, grouses, and quails. 
They either do not care for music or have not 
learned to sing. 
No further attempt will be made at noting kinship 
in the families of Passeres than is done in Chapter 
XXIII, which can be referred to. Some have thought 
