114 



SUBKINGDOM YERXEBRATA, 



ORDER PASSERKS. 



General Characteristics. — The Passeres (sparrows) al- 

 ways haye the four toes on nearly the same level, with the 

 hind one exactly opposite the others, giving great facihty in 

 perching * They excel in vivacity and song. 



Turdidae.— The Thrushes are found in all parts of the 

 world. The bird organization reaches in them its highest 

 development, especially in the complex vocal apparatus of 

 Fig. 185. certain species. 



The Rohin \ alone of its 

 family seems to court the 

 society of man, following 

 close upon the plough and 

 spade and often nesting 

 in a corner of the piazza. 

 It is a ground bird, sel- 

 dom picking worms from 

 a tree, and never catching 

 Turdus migratonus.^dbm. I. them as they dangle in 



* They are therefore known also as Insessores or Pevchers.— Some authors have 

 Buhdivided this order into Oscines., songsters, and Clamatores^ screamers. Amid such 

 diversity any tahulation into families would he unaatisfactoi-y. 



t The following is taken from Baird, Brewer and Eidgway as a specimen of what 

 every thorough teacher will require 



from each of his pupils in writing, ^^9- ^^^■ 



with simple sketches attached, for 

 every hird that can he obtained in 

 the immediate vicinity ;—" Ttjk- 

 DXJS MiGRATOKius, Bobln^ Ameri- 

 can Redbreast. Tail slightly 

 rounded ; above olive-gray ; top 

 and sides of the head black ; chin 

 and throat white, streaked with 

 black ; eyelids and a spot above 

 the eye, anteriorly white; under 

 parts and inside of the wings chest- 

 nut-brown ; the under tail-coverts 

 and tibiffi white, ebowing the plum- 

 beous inner portions of the feath- 

 ers ; wings dark brown ; the feath- 

 ers all edged more or less with pale ash ; tail still darker, the extreme feathers tipped 

 with white; bill yellow, dusky along the ridge and at the tip. Length 9.75; wing 

 5.43 ; tail 4.75 ; tarsus 1.36 inches. Habitat, whole of North America." 



Sketch of principal parts of the Sobin. 



