164 NORTH AMMKICAX IURD><. 



Family MOTACILLID-ffiJ. — Tiik AVA(iTAiLs. 



Char. Bill .slondiT. conical, noaily as high as wi.lo at iho base, with slight notch at the 

 tip; thu eulmen slightly conravu aln.vo th." anterior extrcmitv of tho nostrils; short bris- 

 tles at gape, whieli, howevc-r, .lo not extend Ibrwanl to nostrils. Loral Teatliers soft and 

 d.Mise, bnlwith bristly points; nasal groove lille.l with naked membrane, with the elon- 

 gato.l n..stnls n. low.Tcdge; the frontal feathers eoming n]. to the aportnre, bnt not directed 

 lorward nor overhangh.g it. Wings l.-ngthen-.l and sharp-pointed; the primaries nine 

 (without spimous lirst). of which the lirst three to live, considerably longer than the 

 -succeedmg, form the tip; the exterior secondari,.s generally inwh ..mar-inatcd at the 

 ends; the inner secondaries (so-called tertials) nearly e.pial to the long.'st primaries. The 

 tad rather nariw, eniarginate. Tarsi l,.ngthei,e,l, sentellate anteriorly only, the hind ckuy 

 nsnally very long, acute, and b„t slightly cnrvd (except in MoUmil,,). Inner toe clell 

 almost to the very base, outer adherent Ibr basal joint only. 



Tho coi.ihiiiiititjn of naked m.strils, notclied l)ill, and nine primaries, with 

 tl.e tarsi sentellate anteriorly oidy, will t.t once .listinf,niish the Anthincv of 

 this family from the Alotulnhr, which tliey so closely resemble in coloration, 

 habit.s, and lenothened hind claw. The leii,!j;thened, sljohtly curved hind 

 claw, nnich ]»ointed wings, emarginated secondtiries, — the inner ones nearly 

 as long as the primaries, — distingnish the family from the Si/loieulidw, with 

 which also it has near relation ;hij)s. 



Subfamilies and Genera. 

 MotacilUnsB. Tail longer than <,r ..i|ual to wings : th.' two ccTitral feathers rather 

 I.Miger than lafral ; the llMthers broadest in middle, ^vhellce they taper gradually 

 to the rounded tip. Colors unilbrm : gray, lilack, yellowish ; without pale edges 

 to feathers aliove, or streaks below. 



Tail from eo.ryx eousi<lerably longer than the wings, doubly forked. Iliud 

 claw .shorter than the toe; decidedly (urvcd . . .' . . .]f„/„rill,t. 



Tail from (.'occyx ecpial to the wings, slightly graduale.l. [liud .'law de- 

 cidedly longer than the toe, .slightly <Mnycd Biidyles. 



Anthinee. f.-iil shnrfer than the wings, emargiiiate at end, the two central 

 shorlcr than lateral : the i;.athers broad<'st near the end, and roun.ling rapidly at 

 end. Almve grayish-brown, the feathers edged with pal.-r. Under i)arls .streaked. 

 Wings much (lointcd and lengthened. 



Hind toe and cOaw shorter than tarsus; outstretched toes falling .short 



"'■*'l'"'"'^'il \„II,H.. 



Illlid toe and claw longer than tarsus; oiitslrctched toes cxlendin!.'- lie- 



.. y""'l tip "I' tail ■ A«w^,v. 



AViiigs short and I'oundcd. 



I'oiiit of whigs formed by outer Ibur primaries of nearly e(|ual 



'^'•^^ff<'' •, ■ . Xnliocorye 



I'omt of wing formed by outer live primaries, the lirst shorter than 



""■"'■'•'' Pv,i:o,;,ni,} 



' .V. nif„, li.viliK. (.Ihii,?., nifii, (i.MKi.ix, Sy.st. Xat. I, UMK, 7i)H.) 



" J\ boijotrnsi.,, li.vii.n. i,h,l/n,s l„„j„lr,„is, Sa.,vrKll, 1'. Z. «. 1855, !((!•, p|. ci. ) 



