TIN: KKY9. 35 



are brought into the same subsections, and the more variable specie* 

 may be placed in several widely separated sections. 



The maker of keys, however, .should not try to serve two maulers. 

 If the keys will identify, they will have accon>|>li-h>-<! tlu-ir purpose. 

 The i la.-.-itication of uur birds is shown in the body of the book, where 

 the species are arranged according to the system adopted by the Ameri- 

 can Ornithologist*.' I'liiun. 



In making these keys the birds are first assorted into several major 

 :is or groups, according to the markings of some one jwrt of the 

 lio.ly. K;i-h one of these sections is preceded by the same kimi of 

 number or letter. The heading of a group or section applies to all the 

 species included in it. Thus, if I does not apply to the bird you are 

 identifying, you must pass at once to II, or III, or IV, as the case may 

 be. In like manner, if the bird does not fall into sections 1, A, or a, 

 we go to 2, It, or l>. resort ivrly. Kven should the first section describe 

 your bird, it is well to read the sections which are contrasted with it. 



As a model to show how the keys are used, let us identify, first, a 

 male adult Red-winged Blackbird a black bird with a red and buff 

 shoulder-patch. Turning to the key to the family Ideridcf, or Black- 

 birds, Orioles, etc., we read : 



" I. With yellow or orange in the under parts. 



" II. Under parts black, with or without metallic reflections. 



"III. Under parts grayish, slate color, chestnut, or buffy. 



IV. 1'nder parts black and white, or black tipped and margined 

 with rusty." 



Our bird has the under parts entirely black, so it evidently belongs 

 in Section II. Under this section we read: "A. Outer tail-feather 0*75 

 or more shorter than middle ones; bill 1-00 or more in length." Our 

 bird has all the tail-feathers of nearly equal length, the bill less than 

 an inch long. It can not therefore belong in A, so we go to B and 

 Outer tail-feather little if any shorter than middle ones; bill 

 less than 1*00 in length." There is no other section, and we con- 

 clude that our bird belongs here. Now we find n, b, r, d, each one 

 placed directly beneath the other, and each one leading to the name 

 of a species*. This means that the statement following the-* letters 

 refers to some mark or character by which one of these species may be 

 known from the other, ami that we should read them all. First comes 

 "I. Entire plumage bluish Mark." That will not do. Second, "b. A 

 red and buff shoulder-patch." Kvidently this refers to our bird, but 

 we confirm our Ix-lief l.y glancing at e and d, neither of which can 

 apply to our -p. imen : w deride, therefore, that it is a Red-winged 

 Blackbird, and turning to the script ion of Agtlaiut 



nirrus verify our identification. 



