774 



COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Genus. Molothrus. — Bill short, upper mandible slightly 

 advanced on forehead and arched at base ; nostrils partly 

 covered by membrane and plumes. Wings, first and second 

 quills longest. Tail rounded. Habitat — America. 



Genus. Agelaius. — Bill flattened at base, edges slightly 

 •waved'. Wings, second and third quills longest. Tail long 

 and rounded. Habitat — America. 



Genus. Dolichonyx. — Bill nearly straight to tip ; nos- 

 trils covered with membrane. Wings, first and second quills 

 longest. Tail, tips of feathers sharp and stiff. Tarsi slender. 

 Habitat — America and West Indies. 



Family. FaiNGILLID.^:.— Small birds.— Bill short, 

 thick, mostly angular at base. 



Sub-family. Ploceinse. — Bill, keel projecting on forehead, 

 arched to tip. Wings rounded, first quill very short. Legs 

 and toes strong, scaled, hind toe long and strong. 



Genus. Htphantornis. — Bill, keel pointed on forehead, 

 nostrils oval, pierced in bill. Wings, fourth quill longest, 

 third and fifth quill nearly equal. Tail short and even. 

 Tarsi moderate. Claws much cm-ved. Habitat — Africa. 



Genus. Ploceus. — Bill compressed ; nostrils partly 

 hidden by plumes. Wings, third to fifth quills longest, 

 first very short ; tertials - nearly as long. Tail moderate. 

 Habitat — India and Africa. 



Genus. Textor. — Bill broad at base, curved towards tip, 

 edges waved ; nostrils pierced in bill. Wings, third and 

 fourth quills longest, second nearly equal. Toes short, claws 

 curved. Habitat — Africa. 



Genus. PHiLET.a:RUS. — Bill much compressed, rather 

 arched above. Wings, second to fourth quills longest, first 

 rudimentary. Habitat — South Africa. 



Genus. Plocepasser. — Bill large, advancing in point on 

 forehead. Wings, second and third quills longest. Tarsi 

 with single scale in front. Claws strong and curved. 

 Habitat — Africa. 



Gemis. Vidua.- — Bill compressed, advancing in point on 

 forehead ; nostrils hidden by plumes. Wings, third to fifth 

 quills longest, first spurious. Tail-coverts and tail-feathers 

 lengthened variously. Tarsi with divided scales in front. 

 Habitat — Africa. 



Suli-family. Coccothraustinse.— Bill large, short, very 

 broad at base, curved to tip. Wings long and pointed. 

 Tail short. Tarsi and toes moderate. 



Genus. Cardinalis. — Bill advanced on forehead, edges 

 waved in middle ; nostrils rounded, hidden by plumes. 

 Wings, fifth quill longest, four first graduated. Tail rather 

 long, rounded. Tarsi strong. Claws short. Habitat — 

 America. 



Genus. CoccOTHRAUSTES. — Bill, edges angular at base ; 

 nostrils oval, hidden by plumes. Wings, second and thii'd 

 quills longest. Tail short, rather forked. Outer toe longer 

 than inner. Habitat — Europe, North America, Northern 

 India. 



Suh-family. Tanagrinse. — Bill triangular at base, rather 

 arched to tip, which is scooped. Wings moderate, pointed. 

 Tarsi and toes short and slender. 



Genus. Pyranga. — Bill compressed to tip ; nostrils 

 small, partly hidden by plumes. Wings, third quill longest. 

 Tan moderate. Habitat — New World. 



Sub-family. Fringillinae. — Bill short, sloping to tip. 

 Wings long and pointed. Tarsi moderate, slender, trans- 

 versely scaled. 



Genus. Amadina. — Bill very broad at base, flattened 

 above and pointed on forehead ; nostrils sunken, hidden by 

 plumes. Wings, third and fourth quills longest, second 

 nearly equal, first very small. Tail short. Habitat — Africa, 

 Asia, and Australia. 



Genus. Fringilla,— Bill broad at base ; nostrils in 

 small groove. Wings, second and third quills equal and 

 longest, first nearly as long. Tail moderate, slightly forked. 

 Outer toe united to middle at base. Habitat— Most parts 

 of world. 



Genus. Passer. — Bill broad at base, slightly scooped at 

 tip ; nostrils partly covered by plumes. Wings, second and 

 third quills longest. Tail moderate. Habitat — Europe, 

 Asia, and Africa. 



Genus. Zonotrichia. — Bill, tip not scooped, nostrils in 

 small groove. Wings, second to fourth quills longest. Tail 

 rather long and broad. Tarsi short. Outer toe united at base, 

 hind toe long, with very long curved claws. Habitat — 

 America. 



Genus. Ammodromus. — Bill straight, keel prominent at 

 base ; nostrils in small groove. Wings, second to fourth 

 quills longest, first short. Tail, lateral feathers graduated. 

 Hind toe long, and with long claws. Habitat — America. 



Subfamily. Emberizinae. — Bill rather flattened above, 

 straight, edges waved, a hard knob on palate of upper man- 

 dible. Wings pendant and pointed. Tarsi moderate, scaled ; 

 hind toe longer than inner. 



Genus. Euspiza. — Bill slightly scooped at tip ; nostrils 

 oval, partly hidden by plumes. Wings, second to fourth 

 quills longest. Tail slightly forked. Tarsi with long scales. 

 Habitat — Asia, Eastern Europe, and America. 



Genus. Emberiza. — Bill small, nostrils partly hidden by 

 plumes. Wings, second and third quills longest. Tail 

 rather forked, feathers sharp. Claw of hind toe long. 

 Habitat— Old and New World. 



Genus: Plectrophanes. — Bill short, advancing on fore- 

 head, palatial knob elongated. Wings, second and third 

 quills longest. Claw of hind toe nearly straight. Habitat 

 — Europe and North America. 



Subfamily. Alandinse. — Wings with tertials nearly or 

 quite as long as primaries. Claws long, cui-ved. Head of 

 hind toe very long and nearly straight. 



Genus. Alauda. — Bill slightly arched above, nostrils 

 oval, hidden by plumes. Wings, third quill generally 

 longest, first sometimes spurious. Tail moderate, slightly 

 forked. Habitat— Old World. 



Genus. OTOCORis.^Bill slender. Wings long, first to 

 third quills longest. Tail long and even. Tarsi and toes 

 short. Habitat — Northern Europe and America. 



Subfamily. Pyrrhulinae. — Bill very stout, short, arched 

 above. Wings moderate, rounded. Tail moderate, slightly 

 forked. Tarsi short. 



Genus. Pyrrhula. — Bill rather flattened at base, wider 

 than high. Wings, second to fourth quills longest. Tarsi and 

 toes strongly scaled. Habitat — Europe and Northern India. 



Subfamily. Loxianse. — Bill broad, compressed towards 

 tips, which sometimes cross, or upper overhangs lower, 

 curved. Wings rather long. Tail moderate. Tarsi short. 



Genus. Loxia Bill moderate, mandibles crossing. 



Wings, first to thu-d quills longest. Tail short, slightly 

 forked. Tarsi scaled, flattened below knee. 



Subfamily. Phytotoniinse. — Bill short, edges notched. 



Genus. Phytotoma. — Bill, gradually compressed to tip, 

 keel rather arched, edges finely notched. Wings, thii-d to 

 fifth longest. Hind toe long. Habitat — South America. 



Family. COLID.E. — Bill moderate, keel elevated at base, 

 sides compressed to tip ; nostrils in large membranous 

 grooves. Wings short. Tail long and graduated. Toes 

 long, hind toe directed forwards. 



Genus. Colitjs. — Bill, edges waved. Wings, second to 

 foui-th quills longest. Tail, feathers narrow. Habitat — 



Africa. 



Family. MTJSOPHAGID.a:.— Bill, keel much elevated 

 and curved, sides much flattened, tip deeply scooped. 

 Wings long and round. Tail long and broad. Tarsi mode- 

 rate, transversely scaled in front. 



Subfamily. Musopliaguiae. — Outer toe capable of being 

 turned back. 



Genus. Musophaga. — Bill large, much advanced on 

 forehead ; nostrils near middle. Wings rather short, fourth 

 and fifth quills longest, tertials broad. Tail rounded. 

 Habitat — Africa. 



