ORDER PASSBBES THE PASSERINE BIRDS. 47 



ORDER PASSERES. THE PASSERINE BIRDS. 



CHAEACTKBS. Three toes in front and one behind; the latter well-developed and on a 

 level with the rest Bill without a cere, and never distinctly hooked.* Primaries 9 or 10; 

 secondaries 9; rectrices usually 12, rarely 10 or 14. Wing-coverts arranged in three series 

 or tracts, as follows: ,1) a well-deflned lesser-covert area, the numerous small feathers of 

 which are arranged in several rows, the feathers alternately in more or less squamate 

 fashion; (2) the middle coverts, which form a single row. the feathers of which overlap one 

 another with their inner webs, or the reverse of all the other feathers of the wing; (3) the 

 greater coverts, which overlie the basal portion of the secondaries, but covering less than 

 the basal half of the latter. 



The Order Passeres includes the vast assemblage of so-called "Perch- 

 ing Birds," which comprises by far the larger part of known species. 

 The majority of them are of small size, but there are many excep- 

 tions to this rule, the Eaven and other large Oorvida being true 

 Passeres. 



The Passeres include two rather distinct major groups, which may 

 be distinguished as follows : 



Oscines. Tarsus compressed posteriorly, with comparatively sharp hinder edge; or 



else, hind claw longer than its digit, and straight. 



Clamatores. Tarsus cylindrical, the hind claw shorter than its digit and distinctly 

 arched. 



ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF PASSEEES. 



A. Oscines. 

 a 1 . Posterior half of tarsus compressed, with two lateral plates uniting In a 



comparatively sharp edge, and for the most part undivided. 

 6 1 . Primaries obviously 10, or else tip of bill hooked. 



c 1 . Tarsi "booted," i. e. the anterior plates undivided for the greater 



portion of their length. 

 d 1 . With distinct rictal bristles. Rectrices normally developed. 



Nostril oval. 



e 1 . Larger (wing more than 3.00 inches). Young distinctly spot- 

 ted Tnrdidae. 



e*. Smaller (wing less than 3 .00 inches) . Young not spotted 



Sylviidae (SylviincE, RegulincE). 

 d?. Without rictal bristles. Rectrices much abreviated. Nostrils 



linear Cinclidae. 



c*. Tarsi not booted, but anterior plates divided for the greater portion 



of their length into more or less distinct segments, or "scutellae " 

 d 1 . Bill strongly hooked Laniidse. 



*An exception to this is found in the Family Laniidce, in which the maxilla is con- 

 spicuously uncinate, with a pronounced notch and well developed tooth behind It. All 

 the other characters of this family, however, are distinctly Passerine. 



