776 



COMPENDIUM OF GENEEIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Genns. Melanerpes. — Wings long, fourth qnill longest, 

 third nearly equal. Tail long, tips of feathers stiff and 

 pointed. Habitat — America. 



Suh-family. Colaptinae.— Bill, lateral ridge veiy small 

 or wanting. 



Genus. Colaptes. — Wings, fourth and fifth quills 

 longest, first very short. Tail long, graduated, tips of 

 feathers stiflf. Habitat — America and South Africa. 



Suh-famihj. Ytincinse.— Bill short, straight, and shai-p. 

 Wings pointed. Tail rounded, feathers soft. 



Genus. YUNX.— Bill, nostrils partly hidden by mem- 

 brane. Tarsi scaled, partly covered with feathers. Two 

 front toes united at base. Habitat — Europe, India, Africa. 



Fam.ih/. CTJCirLID.S;. — Bill rather slender and com- 

 pressed, curved above, tip scooped ; nostrils in membranous 

 groove. Wings long. Tail rounded. 



Sab-famil)/. Indicatorinas. — Bill short, broad at base, 

 slightly curved above. Tail slightly forked. Tarsi very 

 short. 



Geims. Indicator. — Bill, tip scarcely scooped ; nostrils 

 long and near keel. Wings, third to fifth quills longest. 

 Front pair of toes united at base. Habitat — Africa, India, 

 and Borneo. 



St(h-famili/. Saur Other inse. — Bill long, suddenly curved 

 at tip, much compressed. Wings rounded. Tail long and 

 graduated. Tarsi with transverse scales in front. 



Genus. Saurothera. — Bill, nostrils wide, partly covered 

 by membrane. Wings, fourth to sixth quills longest. 

 Outer lateral toes longest. Habitat — South America and 

 West Indies. 



Sub-family. Coccyzinae. — Bill elevated at base, nostrils 

 narrow, partly closed by a scale. Wings rounded. Tail 

 long and graduated. Tarsi broadly scaled. 



Genus. Centropus. — Bill short, edges much cui-\'ed, 

 nostrils in short broad groove, opening obliq\ie. Wings, 

 fourth to sixth quills longest. Tail broad, roumled on sides. 

 Outer front toe longest, inner hind toe with a long straight 

 claw. Habitat — Warmer parts of world. 



Genus. COCCYZUS. — Bill long, slender, nostrils in short 

 membranous groove, opening oval. Wings, third and fourth 

 quills longest. Habitat — America and jjarts of Europe. 



Suh-famih). Crotophaginae. — Bill arched above, sides 

 much compressed ; nostrils in substance of bill. Wings 

 short and rounded. Tail long, broad, and graduated. Tarsi 

 long, with large transverse scales. Two outer toes longest. 

 Claws short. 



Genus. Crotophaga. — Bill short, keel deviated, tip 

 hooked ; nostrils partly closed by membrane. Wings, 

 fourth to sixth quills longest. Habitat — South America and 

 West Indies. 



Genus. Scythrops. — Bill long and strong, hooked at tip, 

 sides channelled. Wings, third quill longest. Two front 

 toes united at base. Habitat — Australia. 



Sub-family. Cuculinae. — Bill broad, flattened at base, 

 sides compressed to tip. Wings long. Tail long. Tarsi 

 short, feathered and scaled. 



Genus. CucULUS. — Bill, nostrils in short, broad mem- 

 branous groove, opening round. Wings, third quill longest. 

 Tail, two outer feathers shortest. Tarsi feathered below 

 knee. Outer front toe longest, united at base to inner. 

 Habitat— Old Worid. 



Order. COLUMB/E.— Bill short, straight, compressed, 

 front half of mandible vaulted, base slight, and with fleshy 

 membrane, in which the nostrils are pierced. Wings 

 moderate. Tarsi strong, and toes well jsadded beneath. 



Family. COLTJMBID.ffi.— Included in above. 



Subfamily. ColumMnse. — Bill, nostrils narrow, longi- 

 tudinal in fore-part of membrane. Wings pointed. Toes 

 long. 



Genus. Carpophaga.— Bill, base flattened. Wings, 

 second to fourth quills longest. Tail long. Tarsi very short, 

 covered with down below the knee. Outer toe longer than 



innei'. Habitat — India, Moluccas, Australia, and Pacific 

 Islands. 



Genus. Lopholaimus. — Bill much compressed, nostrils 

 oblique, near middle of bill. Wings very long, third 

 quill longest. Tarsi half clothed with down. Habitat — 

 Australia. 



Genus. Columba. — Bill, membrane swollen above nos- 

 trils. Wings, second quill longest. Tail moderate. Tarsi 

 very short. Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Genus. Ectopistes. — Bill, nostrils longitudinal, in 

 middle. Wings long and pointed, first and second quills 

 longest. Tail long, four central feathers sharp. Tarsi 

 feathered below the knee. Habitat — North America. 



Genus. TuRTUR. — Bill slender. Wings long, second and 

 third quills longest. Tail moderate, rounded. Tarsi scaled 

 in front. Outer toe shorter than inner. Habitat — Europe, 

 Africa, and Asia. 



Sub-family. Gourinse. — Bill moderate, straight. Tail 

 moderate, rounded. Tarsi strong. Toes long, edged with 

 membrane, hind toe very long, claws short. 



Genus. Ocyphaps. — Tip of both mandibles vaulted, 

 nostrils longitudinal. Wings, third quill longest, and nar- 

 rowed. Outer toe longer than inner. Habitat — Australia. 



Genus. Phaps. — Bill, nostrils at sides, membranous, 

 narrow. Wings, second and thh-d quills longest. Tarsi 

 very short. Habitat — Australia. 



Genus. Leucosarcia (Geophaps). — Bill, nostrils at 

 sides of base, curved. Wings, third to fifth quills longest. 

 Outer toe shorter than inner. Hind toe slender. Habitat 

 — Australia. 



Geiius. Cal^enas. — Bill strong, united near middle. 

 Base of upper mandible with a wattle. Wings, third quill 

 longest. Feathers of neck long and drooping. Habitat — 

 Indian Ai-chipelago. 



Genus. GouRA. — Bill slender, slightly plumed at base ; 

 nostrils in groove in middle of bill. Head with corajiressed 

 crest. Wings, fourth to sixth quills longest. Tarsi with 

 rounded scales. Habitat — New Guinea, and Indian Archi- 

 pelago. 



Suh family. Didunculinse. — Bill long, depressed at base, 

 arched to sharp hooked ti]> ; lower mandible with three 

 distinct teeth ; tip truncated ; nostrils narrow and oblique. 

 Wings concave. 



Genus. DiDUNCULUS.— Bill strong. Wings with blunt 

 tubei-cle at bend, second to fourth quills longest. Skin . 

 round eye and sides of throat bare. Habitat — Samoan 

 Islands. 



Sub-family. Didinae. — Bill large, covered with mem- 

 brane for two-thirds its length, horny and vaulted in front ; 

 nostrils in fore-part of membrane. Wings and tail almost 

 rudimentary. Tarsi short and strong, with small scales. 



Genus. Didus. — Bill, keel straight for some distance, 

 then suddenly arched, and cui-ving over tip of lower man- 

 dible. Outer toe shorter than inner, claws short, strong, 

 and blunt. Habitat — Mauritius. (Extinct. ) 



Order. G ALLI N/E. — Tarsi long and strong, often spurred. 

 Toes connected at base ; hinder toe elevated from the 

 ground. 



Family. CEACIDJE. — Bill moderate, rather arched, nos- 

 trils at sides of base and exposed. Wings short and 

 rounded. Tail long and broad. Hind toe long, and on 

 same plane with others. 



Sub-family. Cracinae. — Bill rather long, sides com- 

 pressed, tip blunt. Nostrils large, partly closed by a mem- 

 brane. 



Genus. Crax. — Bill much curved. Nostrils placed in a 

 cere, and with their openings crescent-shaped. Wings, 

 sixth to eighth quills equal and longest. Tarsi covered in 

 front with l>road scales ; toes also covered with large scales. 

 Habitat — Tropical America. 



Family. MEGAPODID.S;.— Bill vaulted on tip. Wings 

 very round. Tarsi covered with scales. Hind toe long and 

 resting on ground. Claws thick, long, and slightly curved. 



