338 KNOWING BIRDS THROUGH STORIES 



The most beautiful of all our American species are the 

 Arctic bluebirds. They live from far north in Northern 

 British Columbia south to Chihuahua and New Mexico. I 

 became acquainted with them in Washington and Oregon. 

 They are a brilliant ultra-marine blue, with lighter blue 

 beneath, and have no red breast. 



You will have no trouble in recognizing the bluebird, 

 because it is the only bird that is blue with a red breast. 

 In size it is only slightly larger than a sparrow, though 

 it is plumper and fuller breasted. The only other bird that 

 would possibly be confused with it is the indigo bunting, 

 and it has no red breast, is a slender bird, and is smaller 

 than our bluebird. Besides, it does not come early in the 

 spring and is not so sweet a songster. 



Keys to the Families of Passeres 



ALAUDIDX Larks. 



Rather plainly colored birds, with the tarsus rounded behind, the 

 hind toe much lengthened, the bill rather stout, and the nostrils with 

 bristly tufts. 



COTINGID^E Cotingas and Becards. 



Plumage usually, at least in part, of bright colors, the tarsus rounded 

 behind, the hind toe not lengthened, and the hind face of the tarsus 

 with numerous small scales. 



TYRANNID.S American Flycatchers. 



Dull colored birds of mostly grayish, yellowish, or olivaceous plumage, 

 with the tarsus rounded behind, the hind toe not lengthened, the bill 

 usually flattish, and bristly at base, the hind face of tarsus without 

 numerous small scales. 



HlRUNDINIDJE Swallows. 



Bill short, broad, and flat, without bristles at base ; feet small ; tarsus 

 short and sharply ridged behind ; the longest primary at least twice 

 as long as the secondaries; plumage often in part metallic. 

 CINCLID.S Dippers. 



Plumage dull colored, densely downy underneath; tarsus not trans- 

 versely scaled except at the very lowest part; tail very short; and 

 nostrils linear. 



CHAM.KID.* Wren-tits. 



Plumage brownish, not densely downy; tarsus not scaled; tail much 

 longer than wing; nostrils oval. 



TURDIDJE Thrushes, Solitaires, and Bluebirds. 



Of moderate size, the length of the wing more than 3 inches; tail 

 not longer than the wing; the tarsus not scaled except at the very 

 lowest part; the bill moderately slender, the upper mandible notched 

 near its tip; the tail square or nearly so; and the first primary very 

 short. 



