XXVI NORTH AilKRICAN BIRDS. 



apprcssoil liristlcs. Nostrils wholly in llio core. Outer too I'arrly vcrsatilo, 

 c'Xfopt Pandiou, ctf. ; imt slioitcf iIkiii tlic iiiiiiT. lias:il iiliiiliUix ol' liiiiUUo 

 toe loii^nM' than tiio socoiiil. Iyui;s coiiiinoiily iiaUiMJ and si'iitellalc or ft'ti(,'U- 

 late ill sonio poitioii of liioii- luni;th ; toes always hare ami scaly. Pliimairo 

 I'oiupai't, tisiially with al'tor-shal'ts; lliL;hl aiiiiililo. Cranial walls with little 

 (liplc)L'. Slc'innni coiiiinonly siiijrlo-nolL'hud ur ffiic'sti-ale, .soinotiincs entifc. 



Diniiial Falconida. 



Feet .scai'ccly raptoi'ial. with Icntrlln'iu'il. little ein-veil or eontfaetile, weak, shoil 

 claws. Hallux elevated, shoi'leiieil, not mnic than hall'as lonp; as the fointh toe, 

 with small elaw. Fionl toes all welihed al lja.se : middle toe lenf;thened ; outer 

 not I'evei'silile. Jiasal jihalanx ol'niidille toe Idiiirer than either of the sneeeedintr. 

 No.^trils [lerbrate. Rill lengthened and eonipiu'atively weak, little hookeil. con- 

 tracted in its continuity ; toinia not tiMithed i>r Kilied. Head naked of leathers 

 in frreatcst part; spar.sely liristly. No lower lariiyx de\<'loped. No eo'ca. 

 After-shafts absent Calhartidce. 



Famii.v 01 COLUMB^. 



With eharaeters essentially as in C'lilniiilxi' lexelusive of those peculiar to Di- 

 dHKcndidw and hldidiv). P'-'niajri' without al'ter-shal'ls; the feathers with thick- 

 ened, sjiouiiv rhachis loos y inserti'd in the skin. 1 eail small, completely 

 It'athercd. exie|)tinji' .sometiiues a I'ireuurorliital space. Tarsi naked or oidy 

 leathered a little way above. Tail oi' twelve ti'.ither^. or IfUuthciuMl, euneate. and 

 of fourteen. (Hallux not perfectly ineumbenl in .V/((,/,aj('/x.) . . . CnlumhidcE. 



An.\i.v.si.« of Famii.iis ol GALLINiE. 



Hind loo lenLrtheiied, insistent. Tail-tisithers Iwclve. Sides of head and 



throat ,vith naked spaces. Color .L;reeiii>h Crucidw. 



Hind toe shortened, elevated. Tail-fealhers usually lburtei;ii or more. No 

 li'reen. 



Larire. Tarsi, toes, and nasal fo.s.sa- naked. Head Imre of feathers, spar.sely 

 liristly, with wattles and caruncles. A jicctor.d tufi of bristly leathers. 

 Tarsi u.sually spiirrc<l in the mali'. I'luiniii;'e iridescent . . . Mcliin/ridida'. 



Medium. Tarsi wholly or in L:real part, soineliincs also the toes, ami always 

 the nasal fossa', lealheri'd. Head completely fcatlicr(>(l. excepting,' a deliiiite 

 papillate strip over the ey(>. Tail-feathers sixteen or more. Sides of neck 

 usually with leiejllcued feathers, oi' a nakc(l distensilile area, or both. No 



spurs. I'lumai.;!' without iridescence J'clnioiiidii. 



Small. Tarsi, toes, and nasal fos<;e uakod. Head com|)letely feathi^red. 

 No peculiar feathers or lym]iaiium on side- of neck. No spurs. I'lunia;j<' 

 'lot iridescent Pvrdicida: 



Ax.vi.v.'!!? <ii' FA\ni,ii:s or LIMICOL.S. 



Toes not lobate. Tarsi not notably compresse(l. 



Lej;'s extremely lonir; the tarsus ei[uallin),' or excccilinj;' the tail, and feet 

 either lonr-toeil ami |mlmale (/I'rcKvriro^ilrii), or three-toed and .semipal- 

 inate i IfimaiilDjins); with Ihc liill much loiiL'er than the head, very slender, 



acute, and curved upw.iid Iliciirriroftridoi. 



l,e;_'s moderate, stout. Tai'Siis shorter than lail. liill hanl, more or less 

 contracted at liasc, with short nasal lijssa, },'()nydeal an^dc, ami lusceiiding 



