XVI THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



B. Middle toe with comb-like edge ; bill small and weak, mouth very 



large ; plumage mixed black and brown, soft, closely resembling 

 in general colors and appearance the surface of the ground ; birds 

 of terrestrial habits in daytime, nocturnal fliers. Family Capri- 

 mulgidae. Goatsuckers, Nighthawks and Whip-poor-wills. 



C. No comb-like edge on middle toe ; tail feathers tipped with pointed 



spines; plumage dark; birds of diiu-nal flight, pre-eminently 

 aerial in habit. Family Micropodidae. Swifts. 



Order 15, PASSERES — Perching Birds including Flycatchers, Crows, Ravens, 



Blackbirds, Jays, Orioles, Larks, Sparrows, Grosbeaks, Finches, Swallows, 



Vireos, Shrikes, Warblers, Kinglets, Chickadees, Creepers, Thrushes, Robin 



etc. 



Tail twelve feathered ; toes four, three in front and one behind ; tarsus 



as long or longer than lateral toes ; hind toe fully as large as middle 



toe ; toes all on same level ; lower portion of thighs feathered. 



A. Back of tarsus rounded like front, not compressed. 



1. Nail of hind toe not as long as middle toe without nail ; rear face 



of tarsus not divided into reticulate plates. Family Tyrannidae 

 Kingbirds, Pewees and Flycatchers. 



2. Nail of hind toe as long as middle toe exclusive of the nail ; rear 



face of tarsus divided into distinct plates. Family Alaudidae. 

 Larks. 



B. Back of tarsus compressed, two plates uniting behind in a sharp ridge. 

 1. Primary wing feathers seemingly only nine. 



* Tip of bill slightly hooked. Family Vireonidae. Vireos. 

 ** Tip of bill not hooked. 



a'. Gape twice as long as culmen ; outer primary over twice as 

 long as inner one ; bill short, deeply cleft, broad. Family 

 Hirundinida'. Swallows, 

 a*. Gape not twice as long as culmen ; outer primary less than 

 twice as long as innermost, 

 b'. Bill not notched. 



c'. Bill conoid or angle of gonys forward of nostril; no 

 bristles at gape. Family Icteridse. Blackbirds, Orioles. 

 Cowbirds, Meadow-larks. 

 c'. Bill not conoid ; angle of gonys never forward of nostril, 

 d'. Hind claw far shorter than its toe; tertiary feathers 

 notelongated, their tips far from equalling the long- 

 est primaries. Family Mniotiltidae. Wood Warblers, 

 d''. Hind claw nearly as long to longer than its toe ; 

 tertiary feathers much elongated with their tips 

 nearly reaching end of longest primary. Family 

 Motacillidae. Wagtails, Pipits. 

 h\ Bill notched. 



