O PASSERES. 



ling is necessary. This is not so difficult as might at first sight 

 appear. A series of a dozen skins of a species will generally 

 contain a specimen which will furnish some hint as to the plumage 

 of the immature hird. If, in such a series, all the specimens be 

 absolutely alike, sex for sex, then it may be inferred that the young 

 bird resembles the adult. If, on the other hand, one specimen 

 differs from the others in possessing characteristic marks, such as 

 bars, streaks, or mottlings, or in being more brightly coloured than 

 the others, whilst preserving the same pattern of colour, a conclu- 

 sion may be drawn from such a circumstance sufficient to allow of 

 the species being placed in its appropriate place. It is to be hoped 

 that the student in India when collecting specimens will recognize 

 the importance of securing young birds and thus work out for 

 himself the position and affinities of every species he meets with. 



Scheme of Indian Passerine Families. 



a. (Acromyodi.} The intrinsic muscles of the 

 syrinx fixed to the ends of the bronchial 

 semi-rings. 



'. The edges of both the mandibles perfectly 

 smooth, except for the presence of a single 

 notch in many species. 

 a". The hinder part of the tarsus longitu- 

 dinally bilaminated, the laminae entire 

 and smooth. 

 a". Wing with ten primaries ; the first 



notably small. 

 a 4 . Tongue non-tubular. 



ft 5 . Nostrils always clear of the line 

 of the forehead ; the space be- 

 tween the nostril and the edge 

 of the mandible less than the 

 space between the nostril and 

 culmen. 



6 , Plumage of the nestling re- 

 sembling that of the adult 

 female, but paler. 

 7 . Nostrils completely hidden 



by feathers and bristles . . Corvidse, vol. i. 

 b~ '. Nostrils bare or merely over- 

 hung by a few hairs or 

 plumelets. 

 8 . Rictal bristles always 



present. 



a 9 . With 12 rectrices. 

 a 10 . Inner and hind toe 



equal Crateropodidae, vol. i. 



b 10 . Inner and hind toe 



very unequal Sittidae, vol. i. 



b g . With 10 rectrices .... Dicruridse, vol. i. 

 b*, Rictal bristles absent . . Certhiidae, vol. i. 



