KEY TO FAMILIES. 



49 



a. Middle toe-nail with a comblike edge. . . . Family Strigidce, : Barn 

 Owls (Fig. 30), p. 213. 



b. Middle toe-nail without a comblike edge. . . . Family BuhonidcE : 

 Horned Owls, Hoot Owls (Fig. 29, a), p. 213. 



Fig. 32 



B. Eyes not set in a striking facial disk ; tarsus mostly bare, plumage 

 firm and close. 

 a. Plumage, in our species, black ; hind toe small, claws blunt ; bill 



not sharply hooked ; head generally bare. . . . Family Cathartidoe, : 



American Vultures (Fig. 32), p. 191. 

 h. Hind toe generally as long as or longer than the shortest front one ; 



toes armed with sharp, curved nails or talons ; bill with a sharp 



hook, head not bare. ... Family Falconidoe : Falcons, Kites, 



Hawks, Eagles (Figs. 29, ft, 33), etc., p. 193. 



Order XIII. Psittaci. — 



Parrots, Paroquets, etc. 

 Toes four, two in front and 

 two behind ; bill with a cere. 

 . . . Family Psittacidce. : Par- 

 rots and Paroquets (Fig. 34), 

 p. 222. 



Fig. 34. 



Order XIV. Coccyges.— Cuckoos and 

 Kingfishers. 

 Toes four, the middle and outer ones 

 joined for half their length (Kingfishers), 

 or two in front and two behind (Cuckoos) ; 

 bill without a cere; tail-feathers not stiff 

 and pointed. 

 5 



Fig. 36. 



