TKOGLODVTID.K — THE WItKNS. If)-] 



Tli(! e-gs .)(• tills spccli's average .Gr, of an inch in lensth and .50 in 

 biva.lth. riicv are, In coL.r, in striking contrast with those of tiie C. stcl- 

 larls, being so'thickly marked with blotches and spots of a deep chocolate- 

 brown as to be almost of one nniform color in appearance. They are of an 

 oval shape, at times almost spheroidal, one end being but slightly more 

 pointed than the other. They number from six to nine. 



In a few instances eggs of this species from the Mississii)pi Valley and 

 from California are of a light ashy-gray color, the markings being smaller 

 and of a nnicli lighter color. 



We have thus completed the account of the Oscine Singing-Birds with 

 slender bills not hooked at the end, and which have ten distinct primaries ; 

 the first or outer one, howevcir, either ([uite small or else considerably shorter 

 than tlu! second. Wi; now c(uue to a series with only nine primaries, the 

 first being entirely wanting, and the second, now the outermost, nearly or 

 cpiite as long as the third. In the prelinunary tables of general arrange- 

 ment will be foinid the comparative characters of the dilferent himilies 

 oi' (krinrs, but the diagnosis of the series referred to is presented here, as 

 follows : — 



C0.MM0X CitAU.U'TKKs. Piiniaiii s iiiiii' : tli.> fir.«t quill nearly as lonjr as the spcond or 

 thinl. Tarsi distinctly wiitcllaif liir wlinic Icnglli anturiorly. Bill conical, but slender or 

 (Ifpr.'sscd, usually, ex.vpt in (WrMih; half tiic loli-lh of the head; more or loss bristled, 

 or not. •bed. Nostrils oval or roiuided. Lateral toes nearly or .luite equal, and shorter 

 than tiie middle; the ba.sid joint of the ini.ldie free nearly to itrf base u.\.ternally, united 

 lor aliont half internally. 



MotaciUid%. iiill slender. Cnlnieii sli;j;htly coneave at liase. Le,!,'s lousr ; daws but 

 little curved. Hind toe considerably loiij:er than the middle one; its claw nmeb lon.uer 

 (twice) than tlu- middle claw ; all llie claws but slightly curved. Innermost seeondari.M 

 (so-ealled tertials) eloiiijated, luMch lono-er than the outer .secondaries : and the lilUi ori- 

 niarv emarginated at end. N'est on L'round. 



Sylvicolidee. Mill rather slender, eonieal, or depressed. Culnien straiuht or convex.. 

 Iliud toe .shorter than the middle: the claws all much <Mnvcd. Hind claw not eons|iic- 

 uously loufj-er than the middle one. When the hind toe is leiit;thenod, it is usually in the 

 dij?it, not the claw. Tertials j;-enerally not lon.j-er than the sci'oiMlaries, and not emargi- 

 liated. r,a|iewide; loiifrue slightly .sjilit at end. XesI variously l>la 1. 



Ceerebidse. Similar to Si/lrinilida: Iiill j,'eiierally lonu'cr : e(|ual to heail or more, 

 (lape of mouth narrow ; toiiLHie tfcncrally much IViug.'d at the I'ud. Xest on trees. 



The TtiiKtifrii/n; the Frinnillido; and even the frlrrUlir, come very near 

 these families, as will be exi)liiined further on, all agreeing in having the 

 nine jtrimaries, and in many other eliaiacters. 



