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COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Oen.wt. Flohisuoa. — Bill arched. Wings moderate. 

 Tail short, forming rounded fork when closed ; tail corerts 

 veiy large, projecting beyond central feathers of tail. 

 Habitat —Tobago, Brazil. 



Gemts. OxTPOGON.— Bill short and shai-p. Head of male 

 with long pointed crest, black in centre, rest white ; long 

 drooping plumes on chin. Wings moderate. Tail largo, 

 slightly forked when closed. Habitat— Cordilleras. 



Oeims. HeliomaSTER.— Bill long, straight, or nearly so. 

 Gorget very large, extended laterally by long lancet-shaped 

 feathers. Tail ample. Feet small. Habitat— Brazil, An- 

 tilles. 



Oemis. EUTOXEEES. — Bill rather long, very much curved. 

 Tail-coverts long. Tail rapidly graduated, composed of 

 lancet-shaped feathers. Habitat — Veragua, Santa Fe do 

 Bogota. 



Genus. Heliangblus. — Bill long a.s head, straight, 

 rather flat at base, rest cylindrical. Throat with scaly lus- 

 trous feathers, mcstly a white or buff gorget. Wings 

 strong, outer primary well curved. Tail moderate, rounded. 

 Habitat — Venezuela, New Granada, &c. 



Oennx. LOPHORNIS.— Bill short, slender, straight, and 

 sharp ; head crested. Neck furnished with fan-like plumes. 

 Tail moderate, rounded. Habitat — Guiana, Cayenne, 

 Brazil. 



Gi'tms. Petasophora. — BiU long, slender, almost, if not 

 quite, straight. Ear-coverts composed of large, scaly, me- 

 tallic feathers, standing boldly from neck. Wings large. 

 Tail squared. Habitat — Mexico. 



Gemu. Try ph^na.— Bill long and awl-shaped; gorget 

 large. Wings rather small. In male, tail long, forked to 

 upper tail-coverts. Habitat — Mexico. 



Genm. Cometes. — Bill long, cylindrical, boldly curved 

 downwards. Tail very long, vei-y deeply forked, feathers 

 long, wide, and squared at ends. Tai-si bare. Habitat — 

 Peru and Bolivia. 



GevMs. Calothorax. — Bill long and curved, base broad, 

 covered with plumes ; nostrils concealed by plumes. Wings 

 moderate, first quill longest. Tail long. Tarsi slender, 

 partly plumed. Outer toe shorter than inner. Habitat — 

 Central America. 



Genus. CvNANTHUS—Bill straight. Tail very deeply 

 forked, the two exterior feathei-s being broad, squared, and 

 twice the length of the second pair. The remainder are 

 lancet-shaped, and rapidly graduated to the central, which 

 are very short. Habitat — Peru, Santa F6 de Bogotii. 



Genns. Avocetta. — Bill much curved upward in front. 

 Tail short. Wings moderate. 



Genus. Heliothrix.— Bill very shghtly arched, and 

 wedge-shaped ; nostrils hidden by plumes. Wings long, 

 largely feathered. Feet very small. Habitat — Brazil, 

 Guiana. 



Genus. OnTHORHTNCnus.— BiU short and straight. 

 Head with large loose tuft forming a long peak. Includes 

 Cephalepis. Habitat — Brazil, &c. 



Genus. OnEOTROCHILUS.— Bill slightly curved ; nostrils 

 in long groove, concealed by projecting plumes. Wings, 

 first quill longest. Tail long and rounded. Tarsi slender, 

 partly plumed. Toes free. Habitat — South America. 



Genus. MELListJQA. — Bill straight ; nostrils hidden by 

 plumes. Wings, first quill longest. Tail long. Tarsi 

 slender. Exterior toes united to middle at base ; outer toe 

 longer than inner. Habitat — New World. 



Famib). CEETHID.ffi.— BiU long, arched ; nostrUs small 

 and with membranous scale. Wings, tail, tarsi, and toes 

 extremely varied. 



Suh-famibj. FumarinsB. — Toes long, outer longer than 

 inner, and united at base to middle toe. 



Genm. Fdrnarius. — Nostrils oval, covered with plumes 

 of forehead. Wings, quills graduated to fourth and tilth, 

 which are longest. Tail moderate, rather squared. Tarsi 

 rather long ; toes moderate. Habitat — South America. 



Suh-famili/. CerthinsB. — Toes very long and delicate, 

 outer toe longer than inner, and joined to middle joint 

 lieyond first joint ; inner toe united a-s far as first joint ; 

 hind toe very long and slender ; claws long and curved. 



Genvs. Certhia.— BUI curved, nostrils lunate, partly 

 covered with membranous scale. Wings, first quill short, 

 fourth and fifth equal and longest. Tail long, graduated, 

 tips of feathers sharp and stiff. Tarsi short and slender. 

 Habitat — Europe, Asia, and North America. 



Genu.'!. TiCHODROMA. — Bill shghtly cun-ed, nostrils with 

 niembr.anous scale. Wings long and rounded, quills as in 

 Certhia. Tail short, tips of feathers soft. Habitat — Europe 

 and Asia. 



Sui-familt/. Dendrocolaptinae. — BiU various ; nostrils 

 smaU and exposed. TaU, shaft of each feather projecting 

 beyond web. 



Genus. Dendbocolaptis (Xiphorhtnchus). — BUI much 

 curved, broad at base, then compressed to tip, nostrils oval. 

 Wings, fourth quill longest. Tarsi short and strong, broad 

 scaled. Outer toe longer than inner, and united to middle 

 toe. Habitat — South America. 



Sub-famili/. Sittmae. — Outer toe longer than inner, and 

 united as far as first joint to the middle toe. 



Genus. Sitta. — BiU straight, nostrils in broad groove. 

 Wings, first quill very short, third and fourth longest. 

 TaU short and broad. Tarsi strong ; hind toe longer than 

 middle. Habitat — Europe and North America. 



Suh-family. Menurinse. — BUI long and slender ; nostrils 

 with homy scale or membrane. Wings short and round. 

 Outer toe longer than inner, hind toe long. 



Genus. Mentjra.' — BUI strong and broad ; nostrils in 

 broad triangiUar groove. Wings, sixth to ninth quills 

 longest. Tail very long, in males lyre-shaped. Tarsi rather 

 long, broadly scaled in front ; claws long, po%verful, and 

 blunt. Habitat — Australia. 



Genus. Troglodytes. — Bill straight ; nostrils in a groove, 

 protected by membrane. Wings, fourth to sixth quUls 

 longest. TaU short and round. Tarsi rather short, broadly 

 scaled in front. Toes long and slender. Habitat — Europe, 

 Asia, and America. 



Trile. DENTIROSTRES.— Tip of upper mandible 

 sUghtly toothed and hooked. Outer toe united to centre 

 toe at base. 



Famib/. LUSCINID.ffi.— BiU sharp, slender, straight, 

 sides i-ather compressed towards tip. Wings rather long. 

 Tarsi slender. 



Suh'famili/. Malurinae. — Nostrils open, in membranous 

 groove. Tail long and rounded. Hind toe with strong 

 claw. 



Genus. Orthotomus. — BUI slightly flattened at base ; 

 nostrils with longitudinal opening. Wings, fourth to oiglith 

 quills longest. Tail graduated, feathers narrow. Tarsi 

 with single scale m front. Outer toe longer than inner. 

 Habitat — India and Archipelago. 



Genus. Drymoica. — Bdl short, with short bristles at 

 base ; nostrUs with semi-lunar opening, partly covered by a 

 scale. Wings, fourth and fifth quiUs longest. Tail long, 

 broad, and rounded. Tarsi broadly scaled in front. Habitat 

 — Africa, Southern Europe, India, and Australia. 



Genus. STiPiTUBua. — BiU with long bristles at base ; 

 nostrils with oval opening. Wings, fourth to sixth quills 

 longest. Tail long and graduated, six long slender shafts 

 with filamentous webs. Tai-si with large scale in front 

 Habitat — Australia. 



Sul-family. Luscininee.— BUI slender and straight ; nos- 

 trils in membranous groove. Wings and tail moderate. 

 Tarsi slender and scaled. Toes long and slender, claws 

 sharp. 



Gemis. Sylvia. — Bill with few weak bristles at base ; nos- 

 trils in broad short groove, with partly semi-lunar opening. 

 Wings, first quill very short, third and fourth longest. Outer 

 too united at base to middle ; hind toe with strong claw. 

 lliibitat-Old World. 



