COMPENDIUM OF GENE 11 IC DISTINCTIONS. 



635 



Sub-family. Surnina?.— Head with two small tufts ; facial disc 

 complete. 



Genus. Nyctale. — Bill small ; nostrils small aud transverse ; 

 cere somewhat swollen. Wings moderate, rounded, third and 

 fourth quills longest. Tail long and rounded. Tarsi short, 

 clothed with hairy feathers. Habitat — Europe and North 

 America. 



Genus. Surnium. — Bill as usual. Wings long and rounded, 

 fourth and fifth quills longest. Tail long and rounded. Tarsi 

 and toes rather shori , and densely plumed. Habitat — Many parts 

 of the world. 



Gemts. Otus. — Bill as usual. Wings very long, second and 

 third quills longest. Tail moderate. Tarsi long and plumed. 

 Toes moderate, plumed. Habitat — Most parts of both hemi- 

 spheres. 



Sub-family. Striginas. — Head without tufts ; facial disc com- 

 plete. 



Genu*. Strix. — Bill long ; nostrils large, partially covered by 

 membrane. Wings very long, second quill longest. Tail short. 

 Tarsi rather long, slender, aud softly plumed. Toes, long, haired ; 

 outer toe much shorter than inner, hind toe short and thick. 

 Habitat — Throughout world. 



Order. PASSERES, or Perchers.— Toes usually three in 

 front, one behind ; sometimes outer toe can be carried backward. 



Tribe. FISSIROSTRES.— Bill very wide. Gape beneath eyes. 

 Keel curved to lip. Feet weak. 



Sub-tribe. Pissirostres nocturnae. — Eyes very large. Plu- 

 mage very soft. 



Family. CAPRIMIJLOrlDffi.— Bill short, flat, and broad. Tarsi 

 short. Toes long and powerful, hind toe joined to inner at base. 



Sub-family. Steatorninae. — Bill, tip hooked, base of bill with 

 feathers and bristles. 



Genus. Steatornis. — Bill long as head and elevated, much 

 curved and rounded, edges nearly straight and toothed near tip, 

 nostrils large aud oblong. Wings long and pointed, third and 

 fourth quills longest and equal. Tail broad, long and graduated. 

 Tarsi with a few hairs. Outer toe larger than inner. Habitat — 

 Guadaloupe, Trinidad, and Bogota. 



Genus. Pod argus. — Bill, sides suddenly compressed near 

 sharp tip, edge of the upper mandible overlapping the lower, 

 which curves down at tip; nostrils covered with membranous 

 scales, and narrow base of bill covered with bristles. Wings long 

 and pointed, second and third quills longest. Tail long. Tarsi 

 short, with broad scales. Toes with strong scales above. Habi- 

 tat—Australia aud New Guinea. 



Genus. Batrachosto.mus. — Wings long and rounded, sixth 

 quill longest. Toes short. Rest like the preceding genus. 

 Habitat— Indian Archipelago. 



Genus. vEgotheles. — Bill small and very flat, tip hooked and 

 blunt ; nostrils narrower behind, base of bill hidden by plumage 

 aDd bristles. Wings rounded, third and fourth quills longest. 

 Tarsi rather long and slender, scaled. Hind toe long, outer larger 

 than inner. Habitat— Australia. 



Sub-family. Caprimulginse. — Bill short and weak, very broad, 

 and with bristles at base. Wings long. Tail rather long. Tarsi 

 short, scaled or plumed. Middle toe longest, its claw long and 

 toothed like comb. 



Genus. CAPRiMrLGrs. — Bill very short, very wide ; nostrils at 

 sides and tubular, opening partly exposed. \\ ings long and 

 pointed, second quill longest. Tail long, broad, sometimes 

 rounded, sometimes forked. Tarsi plumed. Hind toe very short. 

 Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Genus. Chordeiles. — Bill very small, a few very short hairs at 

 base, nostrils tubular, opening rounded. Wings long and pointed, 

 second quill longest. Tail long and broad, rounded or forked. 

 Tarsi short and partly plumed. Hind tor short and slender. 

 Habitat— America. 



Sub-family. Podagerinae.— Bill very flat, keel compressed on 

 sides to hooked tip. Wings long and pointed. Tail long and 

 broad. Tarsi usually plumed or with transverse scales in front. 

 Inner toe mostly longer than outer, and both joined to middle 

 toe, which is the longest, and furnished with a long toothed claw. 



Genus. Scotorn.s.— Bill with strong bristles, nostrils with 



membranous scales over opening. Wings long and pointed, sec- 

 ond aud third quill longest. Tad extremely long aud graduated. 

 Tarsi plumed and scaled. Toes unequal, inner longer than outer. 

 Habitat — Africa. 



Genus. Macrodipteryx. — Bill with very long bristles. Wings 

 very long and pointed, second or third quill longest, and inner 

 quill extremely lengthened, shaft bare, webbed at tip. Tail long. 

 Tarsi plumed aud sealed. Two exterior toes nearly equal. Habi- 

 tat — Africa. 



Genus. Podager. — Nostrils partly covered by plumes. Wings 

 very long, first quill longest. Tail short. Tarsi very short and 

 plumed. Inner toe longer than outer. Habitat — South America. 



Sub-tribe. Pissirostres diurnae. — Eyes moderate, plumage 

 close. 



Family. HIE,UNDINIDa;.— Bill short aud weak, very broad at 

 base, suddenly compressed to tip. Wings long, sharp,* and nar- 

 row. Tail forked. Tarsi weak. 



Sub-family. Cypselinae. — Wings very long and curved like 

 seimetars. Toes short, strong, hinder toe generally directed for- 

 wards; elaws curved and sharp. 



Genus. Acanth ylis. — Nostrils in membranous groove. Wings 

 long, first quill longest. Tail with shafts projecting. Tarsi short 

 aud naked. Toes compressed. Habitat — America, India, and 

 Australia. 



Genus. Macroptertx. — Wings long, first and second quills 

 longest. Tail very long and deeply forked. Tarsi naked. Habi- 

 tat — India, East India Islands, and Africa. 



Genus. C'TPSELfs.— Bill with sides gradually compressed to 

 the tip ; nostrils with little feathers round opening. Wings, sec- 

 ond quill longest. Tail mostly forked. Tarsi very short, plumed 

 to toes. Toes all directed forward. Habitat — Warm and tem- 

 perate parts of world. 



Genus. Collocalia. — Bill very small, nostrils in membranous 

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

 slender and naked. Toes short, and thick. Habitat— Indian 

 Archipelago. 



Subfamily. Hirundininae. — Bill short, sides gradually com- 

 pressed to tip ; nostrils at base of bill and rounded. Wings long, 

 first quill longest. Tail forked. Tar.-i mostly scaled. Toesl 

 mostly long and slender, claws moderate. 



Genus. Atticora. — Bill, keel carved to tip. Tail very lon<; 

 and deeply forked. Tarsi short and sealed. Exterior toes un- 

 equal. Habitat — South America, New Guinea. Africa, and Aus- 

 tralia. 



Genus. IIirundo. — Nostrils partly covered by membrane. Tail, 

 exterior feathers sometimes much lengthened. Habitat— Most 

 parts of world. 



Genus. Progne.— Bill strong, edges curved to tip. Tail mod- 

 erate. Tarsi short, strong, and sealed. Exterior toes equal. 

 Habitat — New World. 



Genus. Cotyle. — Bill very flat, nostrils prominent. Tad 

 moderate, slightly forked. Tarsi scaled aud slender. Toes short 

 and slender, exterior unequal. Habitat— ( >ld and New Worlds. 



Genus. Chelidon. — Bill short aud strong. Tail moderate. 

 Tarsi rather long and plumed. Toes also plumed, exterior un- 

 equal. Habitat— Old World. 



Family. CORACIADiE — Bill long, broad at base, tip hooked ; 

 nostrils at base. Wings long and pointed. Tail mostly short and 

 even. Tarsi short. Toes moderate. 



Sub-family. Coracianae. — Bill rather high, tip overhanging 

 lower mandible; nostrils narrow aud oblique. Wings and tail 

 moderately long. Tarsi short. Toes moderate and free. 



Genus. Eurystomus.— Bill rather short, strong, and flat ; nos- 

 trils partly covered by plumed membrane. Wings long and 

 pointed, second quill longest. Tail even. Tarsi very short and 

 with transverse seales. Outer toe longer than inner, hind tor 

 long. Habitat — Australia and parts of Old World. 



Genus. Coracias. — Bill long and straight, nostrils narrow and 

 partly covered by feathered membrane. Wings, second and third 

 quills longest. Tail long and rounded. Tars"; short. Inner toe 

 a very little longer than outer. 



Genus. Brachypteracias. — Bill long and broad, keel gradu- 

 ally coming to tip. Wings short, third to seventh quills longest. 



