ANALYTICAL KEYS 
LYNDS JONES, M. Sc. 
HOW TO USE THE KEYS. 
While these keys are made for the purpose of identifying any bird in the 
hand, they are not intended to give more than the barest information about 
the bird. You should at once turn to the description of the bird whose name 
you have found by means of the keys, and read what may be found there be- 
fore remaining content. Often an unsatisfactory identification by the keys wil! 
give you the clue so that you can turn to the body of the book and there make 
sure of your bird. The keys, then, are but a means to an end. They are merely 
for rapid determination, not for any other particular information. 
There are three separate keys. First of all, a Key to the Orders; next a 
Key to the Families under each order; and lastly a Key to the Species under 
each family. You should always begin with the Key to the Orders to get 
your bird in the right group. Having found the order to which it belongs 
turn to the Key to the Families, find the order there by the number which pre- 
cedes it in the Key to the Orders, and determine to what family it belongs. In 
like manner turn to the Key to the Species given under each family and there 
determine the species. The families are numbered in 1, 2, 3, order under each 
order, but the species are given the number which they bear in the body of 
the book. While the orders are not serially arranged in the Key to the Orders, 
they are arranged in 1, 2, 3, order in the Key to the Families. Likewise, while 
the species are not serially arranged in the Key to the Species they are so ar- 
ranged in the body of the book. 
It is important that you should know how to use the keys unless you are 
already familiar with most of the birds described in this book. At first sight 
they may seem confused, but after a little practice in the use of them they will 
prove very simple. Let us suppose that you now have a bird in hand which 
you wish to identify. Suppose it isa Green Heron. In the Key to the Orders, 
“T.” calls for a bird with webbed or lobed feet; your bird has neither webs 
nor lobes, so you must turn to the contrasting character which will be under 
“TT,” which so far describes your bird. Next is “A. Legs and Neck long and 
slender.” That is true of your bird. ‘Then the next is “rt. Lores (region be- 
tween the eye and bill bare.” Your bird has bare lores, so it must be one of 
the Herodiones, Order 6. ‘Turn now to Order 6 in the Key to the Families. 
Here the first is “I. Bill straight and sharp.” That is right for your bird. 
Your bird belongs to Family 1, Ardeidze. ‘Turn now to the Key to the Species 
and find Order 6, and Family 1 under it. The first here is also “I. Wing 
less than 6.00.” Your bird’s wing measures more than 6 inches, so try “II. 
Wing about 7.25.” You find that it is nearer that length than the others given, 
so conclude that your bird is a Green Heron, number 213 in the book. Turn 
to that number and prove it by the minute description given there. Any other 
case would work out on the same principle. 
>. @.G bb 
Norr.—Owing to a revision of the Keys made necessary since Mr. Jones’ work was 
prepared, “Order 6,” above, should in each case read Order 10. ‘The number of the Green 
Heron, also, is 214. 
