PASSEKES OSCINES 7 



XVIII. Dicruridce (Drongos or Fork-tails). 

 XIX. Campopliagida (Cuckoo- Shrikes). 

 XX. Hirundinida (Swallows). 



Key to the Families of South African Passeres 



(Not arranged in their proper sequence, and applicable to South 

 African species only). 



In drawing up the following scheme I have followed Mr. Gates 

 in making use of the plumage of the young for diagnostic purposes. 



a. Tarsus scutellated both anteriorly and pos- 

 teriorly, the posterior aspect rounded Alaudida, vol. i. 



6. Tarsus covered laterally with two entire longi- 

 tudinal plates which meet in a ridge pos- 

 teriorly. 



a?. Tongue tubular ; the edges of both mandi- 

 bles minutely serrated for their anterior 



third or half Nectariniidce, vol. i. 



6 2 . Tongue semi-tubular, or with the sides or 



tips frayed out ; bill not serrated. 

 a?. With ten primaries; tail very long and 



much graduated ; no white eye-ring Prom&rqpid& t vol, i. 



6 3 . With nine primaries (the outer being very 

 minute) ; tail rather short and square ; a 



conspicuous white eye-ring Zosteropidce, vol. i. 



c*. Tongue not tubular nor semi-tubular. 



With only nine easily visible primaries, 



the two outer nearly equal. 

 a 4 . Bill long, slender and notched ; the 



secondaries as long or nearly as long 



as the primaries Motacillidce, vol. i. 



6 4 . Bill short, broad, flat, notched and 



deeply cleft ; the secondaries reaching 



the middle of the whig Hirundinidce, vol. ii. 



c 4 . Bill deep and conical ; the secondaries 



reaching halfway between the middle 



and end of wing Fringillidce, vol. i. 



d 3 . With ten primary wing-quills, the outer 



short but easily seen. 

 d 4 . The culmen prolonged backwards to a 



point among the frontal feathers ; the 



nostrils within or near the line of the 



forehead and nearer the culmen than 



the cutting edge of the upper mandible Ploceidce, vol. i. 



