24 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



Famil TrannidSB Fl-catchers. 



The North American representatives of this family will 

 he immediately distinguished from the foregoing Passercs^ 

 by the afore-mentioned tarsal character ; and from the suc- 

 ceeding order, by the possession of twelve rcctrices. and in 

 having the primary wing-coverts, one half the length of the 

 secondaries, and posterior claw not smaller than the middle 

 claw. 



This family is one' of the most extensive and characteristic 

 groups of its kind in America, and is peculiar to the New 

 World. In these particulars, the Tanagridcc and Trochil- 

 id<.c alone, approach it. It embraces more than four hun- 

 dred current species, divided among a hundred genera and 

 sub-genera. At least two-thirds of the species are genuine, 

 or strongly marked geographical races ; whilst the residue 

 are equally divided between slight varieties and mere synon- 

 ymes. They are mostly found in tropical America, where 

 they assume manifold and singularly diversified species ; a 

 small fragment only, being represented within our limits. 

 A strict definition of the Tyrannida becomes very difficult, 

 owing to the close grading toward other families. Our spe- 

 cies are intimately related to each either, and with a possible 

 exception, belong to the 



Sub- Family TyrannitlSD, True Tyrants, 



which presents the following characters : wings composed of 

 twelve primaries. The first primary is never spurious, nor 

 very short, while one or more are often emarginate, or atten- 

 uate on the inner web near the extremity. Feet small, weak, 

 exclusively adapted to perching ; the tarsus barely longer 

 than middle toe and claw. The anterior toes, particularly 

 the external, quite coherent at base. Bill quite broad, with 

 greater or less width at base, sharply acuminate, and pre- 

 senting a triangular contour when \ iewed superiorly ; tip 

 abruptly bent downward, and perceptibly notched just back 



