AN ARTIFICIAL KEY 



To the Birds of Amherst, to be used when the specimen is 

 actually in hand. 



Toes 3, all in front. Group I. 



Toes 4, 2 in front and 2 behind. Group II. 



Toes 4, 3 in front and i behind. Group III. 



Group I. Three- toed Birds. 



A. Feet fully webbed, Dovekie. 



B. Feet not webbed. 



a. All 3 toes in front. 



Bill black ; length of bird 9-10 inches, Kildeer. 

 Bill yellow with black tip ; length 7 inches, 



Piping Plover. 

 aa. Two toes in front and one behind, 



Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. 



Group II. Four-toed Birds, the toes in pairs. 



A. Tail feathers rounded. 



Bill black and bluish. Black-billed Cuckoo. 



Bill black and yellow. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 



B. Tail feathers sharply pointed, 

 a. Length a foot or more. 



Length 16-18 inches ; lining of wings white, 



Pileated Woodpecker. 

 Length 12-13 inches ; lining of wings golden, 



Flicker. 



