38 BIRDS. 



ff. Tibiae naked below. . . . HERODIONES, N. 

 ee. Hind toe inserted above the level of the rest, and usually 



shorter than any of the others. 

 Ti. Tibiae feathered below. 

 * . Nostrils perforate ; head more or less naked. 



RAPTORES, J. 

 M. Nostrils imperforate. 



j. Bill flssirostral gape wide, &quot;reaching to below eye. 



PlCABLE, H. 



jj. Bill stout, not fissirostral ; nostrils scaled or feathered. 



GALLIN^E, L. 

 Hh. Tibiae naked below. 



k. Nostrils perforate. . . . ALECTORIDES, O. 

 kk. Nostrils imperforate. 



I. Head bald ; tarsus reticulate. . HERODIONES, N. 



II. Head feathered ; tarsus usually scutellate. 



LIMICOI^E, M. 



IV. Toes lobate, webbed at base or not, but conspicuously 



bordered on sides by plain or scalloped membranes. 

 m. Tail rudimentary; legs set far back. . PYGOPODES, S. 

 mm. Tail perfect; a horny frontal shield. ALECTORIDES, O. 

 mmm. Tail perfect ; forehead feathered, without horny shield. 



LIMICOL^E, M. 



V. Toes palmate ; three front toes full-webbed. 



n. Bill curved upwards ; legs elongated. . LIMICOL^E, M. 

 nn. Bill lamellate, mostly flattish and furnished at tip with a 

 decurved nail. . . . LAMELLIROSTRES, P. 

 nnn. Bill not recurved nor lamellate. 



o. Hind toe not lobate ; wings long and pointed ; tail well 



developed. . . . . LONGDPENNES, R. 



oo. Hind toe lobata; wings and tail short. PYGOPODES, S. 



VI. Toes totipalmate ; all four full-webbed. STEGANOPODES, Q. 



G. FAMILIES OF PASSERES. 



I. Oscines. Each side of tarsus covered with a plate, undivided 

 in most of its length and meeting its fellow in a sharp ridge 



