130 NORTH AMKRICAX HrRD.S. 



Family TROGLODYTIDiE. — Tife Wrk 



>:n-s. 



Char. Riotal bristles wanting; tiu> lonil IWitluMs with bristly points; the Irontnl 

 fentht-rs fren.-rally not reaching to nostrils. Nostrils varied, exposed or not ..ovo.cd by 

 leathers, and generally overhung by n seale-like n.enibrane. IJil) usually without, notch 

 (ex,x.pt ui some Middle American genera). Wings nn.ch lounded, about e.|ual to tail 

 which IS graduatcl. I'rhnaiies ten, the Ihsl generally about half the second. ])asal joint 

 ot nnd.lle toe usually united to half the basal joint, of inner, and the whole of that of the 

 outer, 01' more. Lateral toes about eipial, or the outer a little the h)nger. Tarsi scutellate. 



The inn)(,ssibility of detii.i.ig uuy largo groiii) of ai.iiuals, so as to se])iiratc 

 It stnugeiitly and abruptly from all otliers, is well understood among natu- 

 ralists; and tlie Tronloih/tidw form no exception to the rule. Somo^betir so 

 close a resemblance to the Mocking Thruslies as to have been combined with 

 them ; while others again exliibit a close approximation to other subfamilies. 

 The general attinities of the family, however, appear to be to the Timfiila; 

 and one of the best characters for separating the two families aj.pears to exist 

 in the structure of the feet. 



In the Tiorlufn- tlie basal joint of the outer lateral toe is united to the 

 middle toe, .sometimes only a part of it ; and the inner toe is cleft almost to 

 its very base, so as to be opjwsable to the hind toe, separate irom tlie others. 

 In tlie Ti-o(flo(hiU.(lw, on the contrary, the inner toe is united by half its b' sal 

 joint to tlie middle toe, sometimes by the whole of this joint ; and the second 

 joint of the outer toe enters wholly or partially into this ui;ion, instead of 

 the basal joint only. In addition to this character, the open, exposed nos- 

 trils, the usually lengthened bill, the generally etpuil lateral toes, the short 

 rounded wings, the graduated tail, etc., furnisli points of distinction. 



Genera. 



A. Lateral toes very unequal. 



n. Cuhnen ilepressed basally, the interval between the nostrils wider than 

 the much compressed anterior half of the i)ill. Plate on the posterior half 

 of the tarsus continuous. Catherpea. 



h. Cuhnen compres,sed ba.sally, the interval between the nostrils ii.u'rower 

 than the rather dei)res.se.l anterior half of tlie l)ill. Plate on the j.osterior 

 half of the tar.sus broken into smaller scales. Salpinctes. 

 B« Lateral toes equal. 



c. Length about 8 inches. Campylorhynchus. 



d. Length less than C inches. 



Bill abruptly decurved or hooked at the tij). Outstretched feet not 



reaching near to end of tail. Thryothorus. 



Tail longer than the wing, the feathers black, variegated terminally 



with whitish Subgenus r///'.)/ '""""«•••. 



Tail shorter than the wing, the feathers rusty, not variegated with 



^^''''•'**'' Subgenus Thri/oth or us. 



Hill only gently curved at the tip. Outstretched tect reaching nearly to 



or b(!vond \]w end of the tail. 



