232 GENERAL ORNITHOLOGY. 



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 (B.) Bill — curved up, extremely slender and acute (Avocet) Recubvirostridje 609 



— bent abruptly down, very stout, lamellate (Flamingo) Phcenicopteiiid^ 678 



— lamellate; mostly membranous, with nail at end (Swans, Geese, Ducks, &c.) .... Anatid^ 679 



— not lamellate; nostrils — tubular; hind toe very small (Petrels) Procellariidje 773 



— not tubular ; bind toe — free, not lobed (Gulls and Terns) . . Larid^ 733 



— not free, lobed (Loons) Colymbidje 789 



(C) Tail — rudimentary ; lores naked (Grebes) Podicipedid^ 792 



— perfect; forehead — covered with a horny shield (Coots) Kallid^ 669 



— feathered (Phalaropes) Phalaropodid^ 612 



(I>.) Mid-claw — pectinate; 4th toe 4-jointed; plumage lax (Goatsuckers) Capkmiulgid^ 447 



— not pectinate; hind toe — versatile; plumage comjiact (Swifts) CYPSELiDJi 456 



— not versatile ; head — naked (go to b). 



— feathered (go to c). 

 (b.) Nostrils — imperforate; naked leg and foot shorter than tail (Turkey) .... MELEAGKiDiDiE 576 



— perforate; naked leg and foot — shorter than tail (Turkey-buzzards) . Cathartics 657 



— longer than tail (Cranes) Gjuuds G66 



(c.) Nostrils — feathered, or scaled, in deep fossa of stout hard bill Tktraonids 57C 



— not feathered nor scaled, in groove of softish bill; tarsus — reticulate (Plover) 



Charadriid-'E 597 

 — Bcutellate in front (Snipe, &c.) 



(E.) Wing — spurred Parridje 669 



— not spurred ; forehead — covered with a horny shield (Gallinules) Kallids 669 



— feathered; length — 2 feet or more ARAMiDiE G67 



— under 2 feet ; 1st jirimary — attenuate ( Woodcock ) . . . Scolop ACiD.ai: 614 



— not attenuate — much shorter than 2d (Rails) 



KALLIDJi 669 



— about equal to 2d (Snipe, (&c.) Scolopacids 614 



or HiEMATOPOBiDJi: 606 



B. [The hind foe not elevated.'] 

 Toes SYNBACTYLOUS; tibise naked below; bill straight, acute (Kiugtishers) Alcedinid^ 468 



TiHI.E naked BELOW. (Go to d.) 



Nostrils opening beneath soft swolli:n membrane. (Go to e.) 

 Bill hooked and furnished w'itii a cere. (Go io f.) 



BlUD.S WITHOUT the ABOVE OHARACTERS. (Go to g.) 



fd.) Middle claw — pectinate (Herons) Ardeidje 654 



— simple; tarsus — scutellate in front (Ibises) lBiDiD.a!: 648 



— reticulate; bill — flat, spoon-shaped (Spoonbill) . Platalkidje 651 

 — not rlat, stout tai(eriug(Wood Ibis) CicoNiiDiF: 652 



(e.) Bird over 18 Inches long, greenish (Texan Guaii ) CRACiDiE 572 



Birds under 18 inches long (Pigeons) Columbids 562 



(f.) Eyes —lateral, not surrounded by a disc; nostrils in the cere (Hawks, Eagles, &c.) . Falconid^ 519 



or Pandionid,'E 556 



— anterior; face more or less disc-like ; nostrils at edge of cere (Owls) ; middle claw — simple 



Strigids 502 

 — jagged 

 Aluconidjc 500 

 (g.) Primaries- 10; the 1st (never spurious) alwai/s more Otav 5 as Umrj as longest (go to h). 



— 10; tlie 1st (spurious or) at most not ^ as long as longest (go to i). 



— 0; the 1st {never spurious) of variable length (go to k). 



(h.) Tail — 12-feathered ; tarsal envelope irregular (Flycatchers) Tyrannid.^ 428 



— 10-feathered; secondaries — only 6; bill subulate (Humming-birds) . . . Trocihlid/I': 458 



— more than G; bill small, very short (Swifts) . . CYi'SELiD.a-: 455 



(i.) Tarsus — *' booted" ; wings — shorter than tail, both much rounded; plumage very lax CHAMiEiDA': 262 



— longer than tail; tail — double-rounded . ...... Ampelid^e 325 



— not double-rounded (Thrushes, &c,) Tlirdidj-: 240 

 — Bcutellate ; nostrils — concealed ; bill — strongly cpignathous, toothed aiul notched (Shrikes) 



Laniid.Ti: 336 

 - paragnathous; — over 7 inches long (Crows and 



Jays) CoRVlDiE 414 

 — not 7 inches ; bill — nearly = head 



(Nuthatches) Sittid^ 269 

 — scarcely or not 

 i = Lead (Tits) Paridje 263 



