G4 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



(E) Fuiehcad covered with a broad lioniy plate; ncstrils linear, trs. < 2 in. long, .... Gai,lindl\ 243 



— nearlj' circular; trs. 2 in. long, . . PoKrilYRULA 244 



— I'eathei-ed; first primary attenuate; liill straight, > h J., culm, grooved SCOLOPAX 202 



— 3 outer primaries attenuate; bill same; tibiaj featliered; trs. < 3t. . Philoiiela 201 

 — not attenuate; first primary niucli < second, (t) 

 — — , or >, second, (uj 

 (t) Length 2 feet or more: liiU mucli >head, decurved; tibia half bare; trs. not <3tcl., . . . AKAMUS 239 



— <2feet; bill>liead, decurved; tihialittle bare; trs. <:!tcl., IIallus 240 



— < head, straiglit: feet as before. Lengtii 10 inclies or more, CiiEX 242 



— less than 10 inclics, .... Tokzana 241 



(u) Trs. evidently < 3tcl. ; tibia; naked below : bill alKuit twice = head, culm. fuiToived, . Gallinago 203 



— feathered; b. little > head, culm, uufurrowed, .... Arquatella 210 



— about =, or =>, 3tcl.; trs. in front— reticulate, ArilRIZA 193 



scutellate, legs reddi.sh; bill acute, < head, . Strepsilas 195 

 legs dark, (v) 

 (v) Bdi hliglitiy curved, much > lid.; tarsus evidently > middle toe and claw, . . . ASOYLOCHEILUS 200 



— = or barely > middle toe and claw, Telidna 208 



— straight, much < liead. Trimaries mottled with black, TllYNGlTES 220 



— about =, or > lid; tarsus much > middle toe ami claw TltlNGA 211 



— about = middle toe and claw, Actodkomas 207 



B. ( The kind toe not elevated.) 



1. TllU.E NAKED HELOVV. (W) 



2. Nostrils opening beneath. Soft Swollen Membrane, (x)* 



3. Bill hooked and furnished with a Cere, (y) 



4. Birds without the above characters, (z) 



(w) Middle claw simple; tarsus reticulate; biU flat, spoonshaped at end, Platalea 227 . 



— not flat, very stout, tapering, decurved, . . Tantalus 224 

 — scutellate; bill gi-ooved, curved; claws — straightish, . Falcinellus 225 



— curved, Ibis 226 



(w) Mid. claw ;)ecM)«rfe; tail of 10 feathers ; lower neck bare behind.— Length over 18 inches, Botaurus 237 



— Leugtli under 18 inches, Ardetta 238 



— 12 feathers; lateral toes not more than 5 as long as tarsus, Hydranassa 233 



— more than 2 the tarsus, (tv-) 



(w-) Tibial bare 1 inch or tess ; trs. >- 3tcl. ; bill over \ incli deep at base, . . Kyctherodius 236 



— <:jtcl.; b. not thrice as long as high, .... Nyctiardea 235 



b. more than thrice as long as high, . . Butorides 234 



— 2 in. or more. Lgth. 2 feet or less. Blue (or white), legs blk. and blue, Florida 230 



White; legs black and yellow, Garzetta 231 



— 3 feet or more. Bluish, ashy, brown, &c., .... Ardea 228 



Wliite; trs. < 7 in. b. < 6, . . Herodias 232 



White; trs. > 7 in. b. >C, . . Audubonia 229 



(x) Tail-feathers — 12. Creeiiis/j; bird over ]3 inches long, Ortalida 176 



— 14, long, tapering, much graduated; circumorbital space naked, . . . . Zenjedura 169 



— 13; trs. ftln'd above; tail broad, rounded, much < wings Colujiba 167 



— narrow, pointed, about = wings, . . . Ectopistes 168 



trs. wdiolly naked, — reticulate, Stakncenas 175 



— scutellate in fi-ont; tail pointed, Scardafella 173 



— rounded, (x^) 

 (x=) Trs. about = 3t., without claw; wing rounded, 1st primary <4th Geotry'Gon 174 



— evidently <3t.; wing pointed, and — under 4 inches long, Chamaepelta 172 



— over 4; lores — naked, Melopeha 171 



— feathered Zen^uda 170 



* This membrane {not scale), wlilcli distingaishes the pigeons^ shrinks In drying, when it may be recognized by Its 

 clnsiiiff up the nostrils, or at least making them irregular; but if BtlU In doubt, observe tarsi reticulate on sides and 

 behind, and (KCnerally) sctile/la/e in front. See flg. 11, 6. 



