r;riU( i ID.E — THE 0\\L>i. n 



o 



contour. As a rule, we iiud tliat tliosu skulls which have Ihc L^rcatcst 

 pUL'Uiuaticity (c, i,'. .s'///,/- and (>//'.s) are most (k'liicsscd antoriuvly, have the 

 orbital s('|)tuiii tliiciccr, the i)alatines Ioniser ami narrower, and a deeper lon- 

 j^itudinal median valley on the superior surface, and riff rersK. 



The lollowiui; classiticatioii is based chiefly upon external characters ; but 

 these are in most instances known to lie accompanied liy osteolojfical pecu- 

 liarities, which point to nearly the same arrangement. It is intended nierelv 

 as an artilicial tal)le of tiie Xortli xVmerican genera, and may be sul)Jected 

 to considerable modiiication in its plan it' exotic genera are introduced.' 



Genera and Subgenera. 



A. Tiiiicr too equal to the iiiiildli' in Iciiutli ; iiiiiei' t'llsrc of middle claw 

 puctiiiutcd. Fiist ([iiill loiifjur than the tiiird ; all the i[iiill,s with thuii- inner welis 

 entire, oi without eniai\i;inati()n. Tail 'iarj;;;::;ted. Feathers of the po.-iterior 

 face of the tarsus rci-invi'd, or pointed ni . ai'ds, 



) Btrix. Noear-tnits- hill jijrht-culoreti ; eyes Mack ; tarsus 

 nearly twice as lonjr as middle toe; toes .scantily haired. .Size 

 nieiliuni. I'^ar-eoneh nearly as lon^' as the lieiirlit ol' the skull, 

 with an anterior operculum for only a iiortion of its lenifth; 

 syininetrieal. 



B. Inner toe decidedly or nuich shorter than the middle; imier edfre of middle 

 claw not |)eetinaled. First (piill shortci- than the third; one to six outer quilLs 

 with their inner wehs enuufriuated. Tail rounde(l. Feathers of the posterior 

 face of the tai'sns not reeurveil liut pointed downwards. 



I. Nostril o|)en, oval, situated in the anterior edf;c of the core, which is not 

 inllaled. 



((. Cere, on top, ei|ual to, or cxeeedinu', the chord of the culiiKMl ; nnich 

 arched. Far-eoneh neaily as loui;- as the hciiiht of th<' skull, with the 

 operculum cxlendin.n- its lull lenufth: asymmetrii-al. 



1!. Otus. One or two outer (piills with their inner wehs 

 emart;uiated. With or wiihout ear-tufts. Bill blaekish ; iris 

 yellow. Size medium. 



Ear-tufis well developed ; only one quill cmarjrinated . Otiii. 

 Ear-tults rudimenlary ; two (pulls einaryinated . /Inic/ii/otiis. 



b. Cere, on top. less than the chord of the culmcn ; {gradually ascendinjj 

 basally, or levi'l (not arched). Kar-ronch nearly the liei.uht of the skull, 

 with the operculum exii'ndinj;- (udy a |iart of its lull lenjxth, or wanting 

 entirely. 



t Anterior edge of the ear-conch with an operculum; the two ears 

 asyininetrii'al. 



;>. Syrnium. Five to six outer quills with their inuc^r 

 welis eniargiuated. Top of cere more than half the culmen. 

 Without ear-tufls. IJill yellow ; iris yellow or black. Size 

 medium or large. 



Six (piills emarginriteil ; toes densely feathered, the ter- 

 minal .scutelhc concealed; iris yellow. Size very large S-:otiapkx. 



' Jty uniniblished doteriniiiatioiis .,f the Xortli American spc; ics were furnished, by rcMpiest, 

 to Dr. Coucs, for introduotion into Ids ^' Key of Xortli Aiiicrieaii Itirds"; con.swpifutly the 

 name's used in tliesu pages aru essentially the .same as those tlieiv eniployua. 



