52 



KEY TO FAMILIES. 



Fig. 45. 



Family 4. Sturnidce. — Star- 

 lings (Fig. 45). 

 Bill flattened, wider than 

 high at the base ; tail short 

 and square ; wings long 

 and pointed, second pri- 

 mary longest, the tii'st very 

 small, less than half an 

 inch in length, p. 259. 



Fig. 46. 



Family 5. Icteridce. — Blackbirds, Orioj^es, etc. (Fig. 46). 

 Length 7'00-17'00 ; base of the bill, between the nostrils, extending back- 

 ward and dividing the feathers of the forehead ; nostrils not concealed by 

 bristles ; first three primaries of about equal length ; outer tail-feathers 

 generally shortest, p. 260. 



Family 6. FringilUdce. — Spar- 

 rows, Finches, Gros- 

 beaks, etc. (Fig. 47). 

 Length 4-75-9*00, generally 

 under 8-00 ; bill short, stout, 

 and conical, admirably fit- 

 ted to crush seeds ; third 

 and fourth primaries gen- 

 erally about the same length, 

 the first never more than 

 half an inch shorter than 

 the longest, p. 271. 



Family 7. Tanagridce. — Tanagers (Fig. 48). 

 Length about 7*00 ; the males of our species mostly red ; 

 bill tinchlike, but less conical, somewhat swollen, the 

 outline of the upper mandible curved, its sides with a 

 slight but generally evident "tooth" near the middle; 

 tail-feathers of equal length, p. 316. 



