xxiv NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 



the longlli of thi' hitter; tip formed In* second, third, 

 and Ibnrtli tinills; outer secondary reachinuf onlv 

 ahout two thirds ^vay to end of h^igest primary ; 

 spurious quill very short. Tarsi hooted . . SaxicoUdce, 



Nostrils oval. Bristles or itristly points ahout the 

 mouth. AVinijs nuxlerate. not reaehinir. when fohled, 

 beyond the mitldle of the tail, and not over one an<l 

 a third times as lonijasthe lattei-; tij) formed l>y third 

 to sixth (|uill; outer secoixlary reaehinir in closed 

 winir three fourths or more the U'nufth of the lonjrest 

 primary. Spurious ([uill I )n;jfc'r. sometimes one half 

 the second. Tarsi seutellate in Miminrr. hooted in 



Turdincr Tiirdida. 



aa. Outside of tarsus covered with two series of scutella, — one h\\ n- 



tireiy around in front, the other entirely around. Itehind. and meeting a 

 <rroove on the inside; hind edg-e hlunt. First primary spurious or apitarently 

 wanting-. Hind claw nuich leni,'thened. scarcely curved. Nt)strils with 



antrorse bristly feathers. Bill conico-i-longate Alaudida. 



B* Clamatores. Outside of tarsus covered with a series of plates variously 

 arranged, lapping entirely around in front and behind, to meet at a groove on 

 the inner side. 



First primary lengthened, often longest, ft least over two thirds as long as the 

 longest. Bill broad at the base, much depressed, tapering to a fine point, which 

 is abruptly decnrved; cuhnen rounded or lattened; gonys llattened; commissure 

 straight, or nearly so, to the tij). Nostri. small, circular, basal; overhung, but 

 not concealed by bristles. Mouth capaci. is, wit'. ^»road and deeply fissured 

 rictus, beset with numerous long strong bii *''.s. Feet small, weak. Tail of 

 twelve feathers . . Tyrannidce. 



Analysis of thk F'amujks of FICARIS. 



Secondaries only six. 



Bill tenuii'ostral. longer than head, nearly cylindrical. Gape constricted. 

 Tongue lilifoi-m, extensile. l)i-iubular. Wings long in terminal portion, ab- 

 breviated proximally, acut»'. riuniage compact, of metallic sheen. Size 

 smallest of all Itirds. (Hunnning-Birds.) . . , . . . TrochUidce. 

 Secondaries more than six. . 



Feet syndactyle by connation of outer and middle toes. 



Outer toe much longer than the inner, united for half its length with 

 the middle, forming ■ broad sole. Tibiie naked below. Bill longer 

 than head, straight, acute, with hard cutting edgi's and ample rictus. 

 Tongue rudimentary, fixed. Wings pointed, nuich longer than the short 

 square tail. Tail-leathers twelve. Plumage compact, oily. (King- 

 fishers.) . Alcedhiida: 



Feet zygodactyle' by reversion of outer or fourth toe. 



Not scansorial; tail of eight or ten long soft feathers. Bill with de- 

 curved tip. not fitted for hammering: rictus ami>le. Tongue not ex- 

 tensile nor vermiform nor barbed. Salivary glan<ls and hyoi<lean appa- 

 ratus not jieculiar. No nasal tuds of feathers. Arboreal and terrestrial. 

 (Cuckoo.s) CftcuJiait. 



* Kx('c]»ting Plcoidis, in which the true hind toe (liallux) is wanting ; the outer or fourth toe 

 lu'iiig, liowever, reversed as usual, and taking the plaie of tlie hind toe. 



