306 AVES : PASSERES. XLVI. 



FAMILY CLXXIV. MOTACILLID^B. (THE WAGTAILS.) 



Primaries 9, the first about as long as second j inner secondaries 

 enlarged, the longest one about as long as the primaries in the 

 closed wing. Bill shorter than the head, very slender, straight, 

 acute, notched at tip. Feet large, fitted for walking ; hind claw 

 long, little curved, as in the Larks ; inner toe cleft ; basal joint of 

 outer toe united with middle one ; tarsus as in Oscines generally, 

 ending in a sharp, undivided ridge behind. Rictal bristles not 

 conspicuous ; nostrils exposed. 



A group of about 100 species, mostly of the Old World. Terres- 

 trial birds, with the habit (shared by various others) of moving the 

 tail up and down, as if " balancing themselves on unsteady foot- 

 ing ; " hence the name " Wagtail." (Lat., motacilla, wag-tail.) 

 a. Tail shorter than wings, its feathers tapering; hind claw long and straight- 

 ish ASTHUS, 519. 



519. ANTHUS Bechstein. (avQos, some small bird.) 

 a. Tarsus longer than hind toe with claw. (Anthus.) 



996. A. pensilvanicus (Latham). BROWN LARK. TITLARK. 

 PIPIT. Dark brown above, slightly streaked ; superciliary line and 

 under parts buffy ; breast and sides streaked ; outer tail feathers 

 with white. L. 6. W. 3J. T. 3. N. Am., not rare. 



aa. Tarsus shorter than hind toe with claw. (Neocorys Sclater.) 



997. A. spraguei (Audubon). MISSOURI SKYLARK. Buffy 

 and dusky streaked. W. U. S., E. to Minn., abundant W. ; its 

 habits similar to those of the Skylark, its song not inferior. (To 

 Isaac Sprague.) 



FAMILY CLXXV. TROGLODYTIDJE. (THE WRENS 

 AND MOCKING-BIRDS.) 



Primaries 10, the first short, hardly spurious ; wings moderate or 

 long. Bill usually more or less slender, with or without a notch 

 near the tip ; nostrils not covered by bristles. Tarsus scutellate, 

 the plates usually distinct. 



The Mimince, now associated with the wrens by the A. O. U., 

 are in many respects intermediate between wrens and thrushes. 

 Their reference to either group is chiefly a matter of convenience. 

 The wrens " are sprightly, fearless and impudent little creatures, 

 apt to show bad temper when they fancy themselves aggrieved by 

 cats or people, or anything else that is big or unpleasant to them ; 

 they quarrel a good deal, and are particularly spiteful towards 

 martins and swallows, whose homes they often invade and occupy. 

 Their song is bright and hearty, and they are fond of their own 

 music; when disturbed at it they make a great ado with noisy 



