VI. KEY 



KEY OF THE OEDBES. 



A. With four toes. 



a. Wings well-developed aad used 

 for flight. 



a'-. Toes free from one another or 

 only partially webbed. 



a'. Hind- toe jointed at the 

 same level as the other 

 toes. 



a". Thighs and usually the 

 upper portion of the 

 shanks feathered. 



a^. No cere at the base of 



the bill Passeres and Picariae. 



h*. A soft fleshy cere at 

 the base of the bill. 



a*. Toes zygodactyle, 



2nd and 3rd for- 



wardly, 1st and 



■ 4th backwardly 



directed Psittaci (Parrots) . 



¥'. Oater or fourth toe 

 reversible at will ; 

 eyes and face more 

 or less forwardly 

 directed Striges (Owls). 



c^. Toes normally ar- 

 ranged 2nd, 3rd, 

 4th, forwardly, 1st 

 backwardly di- 

 rected. 



a". Bill and claws 



strong, curved, 



hooked and sharp 



pointed Accipitres (Hawks). 



&". Bill and claws 



weak and straight Columbse (Doves). 



