444 APPENDIX. 



to those of the Key. The former are in Arabic, the other in 

 Roman, numerals. On reaching the Key-section referred to, find 

 (if it is divided) the right division marked with a capital letter, or 

 even the subdivision, if any, which is marked by a small letter. 

 Glance down the column at the left (not ruled off), which gives the 

 chief color, the most conspicuous, or the one best characterizing the 

 species, until you find the color which applies to the bird in hand. 

 (This column is in many places wanting, or mentions some other 

 characteristic than the chief color.) Work to the right until a 

 satisfactory name or reference is reached. A glance at the size- 

 column, giving the length in inches, will often be an assistance, or 

 one at the list of birds, in whose names you may find expressed 

 some characteristic. To measure a bird, refer to V of the Intro- 

 duction. Any characteristic written on a line is supposed to be 

 also written on all the lower lines, so far as empty directly beneath, 

 until a line is reached, containing words to the left of that space. 

 Observe carefully all foot-notes, and refer to T of the Introduc- 

 tion for any descriptive terms not understood. $ means male ; 

 9 means female. > means more than ; < means less than. 

 Other abbreviations or abbreviated expressions will be easily un- 

 derstood (as yg. for young, wh. for white, head-sides for sides of 



the head). frequently is employed to mean ditto. The 



general plan is one of reduction to a limited choice by the use of 

 various divisions, of working from the beginning toward the end, of 

 following certain alternations, and of working from left to right. 



