202 Birds of Xouth Carolina 



4. Bill very short, but the gape very wide and dcej). Wings very long and pointed. The 

 Swallows, Hirundinidw. 



4. Bill not as above. See 5. 



5. Bill conirostral, stout at base, with the corners of the mouth drawn downward. See 6. 



5. Bill not conirostral, the corners of the mouth not drawn downward. See 7. 



6. Bill rather long, often longer tlian head, without notch at tip or bristles at the gape. The 



Orioles and Blackbirds, Iriiridw. 



6. Bill shorter than head, often notched at tip or with bristles at gape. The Sparrow 



fiimily, FriiKjillida'. 



7. Bill Clinical, stout. Nostrils placed high, exposed. The Tanagers, Tangaridm. 



7. Bill slender, not conical. See 8. 



8. Hind claw short and curved, not longer than its toe. Tertials not lengthened. The Wood 



Warblers, Minotittidiz. 



8. Hind claw long and stiaight, longer than its toe. Tertials lengthened. The Wagtails, 



Moldcillidae. 



9. Tarsus with the plates in front fused together. Bristles present at the gape. Sec 19. 

 9. Tarsus with distinct plates in front. See 10. 



10. Bill more or less honked at tip. Sec 11. 



10. Bill not hooked at tip. See bi. 



11. Bill strongly hooked and toothed at tip, plumage gray, length over S inches. The Shrikes, 



Ltinildtf. 



11. Bill only slightly hooked at tip, plumage not gray. See 12. 



12. Head crested, tail tipped with yellow. The Waxwings, Bombijcillidoc. 



12. Head not crested, tail not tipiied with yellow. The \'ireos, Vireonidn'. 



13. Tail-feathers stiff and pointed, bill decurved. The Creepers, Cerlhiidie. 



13. Tail-feathers .soft and rounded at tip. See 14. 



14. Nasal-feathers not directed forwards. See 1."). 



14. Nasal-feathers directed for\v:irils, covering the no.strils. See 16. 

 ITi. Iicngth S inches or more. The Mocking-birds, Mhnidip. 



IT). Length less than 7 inches (most under (i). The Wrens, Troglodytida. 

 It). Birds of small size, wing less than 4 inches. See 17. 

 1(). Biids of large size, wing over 4 inches. The Crows and Jays, Coritidw. 

 17. Bill notched at the tip, very slender. The Old World Warblers, Sylviidoc; in North 

 .\merica the Cinat-catcher group. Genus Polioplila. 



17. Bill not notched at tip. .See 18. 



18. Bill long, wings long, tail short. The Nuthatches, Siltidac. 



15. Bill short, wings short, tail long. The Titmice, Parijlw. 



19. Birds of small size, wing less than 3 inches. The Old \\'orld Warljlers, Sylviiduc, Kinglet 



group, (lenus Regidus. 

 19. Birds of moderate size, wing more than 3 inches. The Thrushes, Turdidoc. 



41. FAMILY TYRANNID/E. TYRANT FLYCATCHERS 



This family coiitain.s a luiiubcr of hii'ils of iiicilium or small .size, mainly dull 

 colored and of little musical ability, the \iiice being either harsh or plaintive. 



The wings arc long, the legs and feet rather Nveak. The bill is triangular, flat- 

 tened from above, wide at the liase, and slightly hooked at the tip. There arc 

 usually bristles at the gajx-, w iiii h im doubt aid the bird in catching flying iasects. 



Six genera occur wth us, and a sevcnili may at any tiiiic furnish an occasicmal 

 straggler to our fatina. 



KKV TO fSKNKRA 



1. One or more of the outer wing-quills attenuate. Crown in adult with concealed red or 

 yellow patch. See 2. 



1. No .'ittenuate wing-(|uills: no crown-patch. See 3. 



2. Tail deeply forked, nmcli longer than wings. Muscivora.* 



2. Tail not forked, shorter than wings. Ti/ninnus. 



3. Wings and tail with chestnut. Length 8 or more. Myiarchus. 

 3. Wings and tail without chestnut. Length less than 8. .See 4. 



•Includes the Forliluili'il flvralclicr ( M . Iiirannuii) of tio|iicnl Amcric-n. with tail-feathers lilnek. and 

 the Scissor-tniled Flvcntrher (M. /nrfinilus) of the soulhweslern fnited States, with tail-feathers chietly 

 white. Botll species have been known to straKKlc as far north as New Jersey, or even farther. Both are 

 about the size of a Kinj^bird. 



