114 



SUBKINGDOM VERTEBRATA. 



Fig. 185. 



ORDER PASSERES. 



General Characteristics. The Passeres (sparrows) al- 

 ways have the four toes on nearly the same level, with the 

 hind one exactly opposite the others, giving great facility in 

 perching.* They excel in vivacity and song. 



Turdidae. The Thrushes are found in all parts of the 

 world. The bird organization reaches in them its highest 

 development, especially in the complex vocal apparatus of 



certain species. 



The Robin \ alone of its 

 family seems to court the 

 society of man, following 

 close upon the plough and 

 spade and often nesting 

 in a corner of the piazza. 

 It is a ground bird, sel- 

 dom picking worms from 

 a tree, and never catching 

 Turdus migratorius, Robin, j. them as they danglo in 



* They are therefore known also as Insessores or Perchers. Some authors have 

 subdivided this order into Oscines, songsters, and Clamatores, screamers. Amid such 

 diversity any tabulation into families would be unsatisfactory. 



t The following is taken from Baird, Brewer and Ridgway as a specimen of what 

 every thorough teacher will require 

 from each of his pupils in writing, 

 with simple sketches attached, for 

 every bird that can be obtained in 

 the immediate vicinity ; " TUR- 

 DUS MIG3A.TORIUS, Robin, Ameri- 

 can Redbreast. Tail slightly 

 rounded ; above olive-gray ; top 

 and sides of the head black ; chin 

 and throat white, streaked with 

 black; eyelids and a spot above 

 the eye, anteriorly white; under 

 parts and inside of the wings chest- 

 nut-brown ; the under tail-coverts 

 and tibiae white, showing the plum- 

 beous inner portions of the feath- Sketch of principal parts of the Robin. 

 ers ; wings dark brown ; the feath- 

 ers all edged more or less with pale ash ; tail still darker, the extreme feathers tipped 

 with white; bill yellow, dusky along the ridge and at the tip. Length 9.75; wing 

 5 43 ; tail 4.75 ; tarsus 1.25 inches. Habitat, whole of North America." 



Fig. 186. 



