232 GENEBAL ORNITHOLOGY. 



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



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



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



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



— not tubular; hind toe — free, not lobed (Gulls and Terns) . . LAEiDiE 733 



— not free, lobed (Loons) COLTMBiDiE 789 



(C.) Tail — rudimentary ; lores naked (Grebes) PODiciPEDiD.si 792 



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



— feathered (Phalaropes) PEALAROPODiD.a; 612 



(D.) Mid-claw — peettoate; 4th toe 4-jotnted; plumage lax (Goatsuckers) Capkmiulgid.e 447 



— not pectinate ; hind toe — versatile; plumage compact (Swifts) CYPSELID.ffi: 465 



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



— feathered (go to c). 

 (b.) Nostrils — imperforate ; naked leg and foot shorter than tail (Turkey) .... MELEAGBiDrDiE: 676 



— perforate; naked leg and foot — shorter than tall (Turkey-buzzards) , Cathabtid^ 557 



— longer -than tail (Cranes) . . ... Grued-E 666 

 (e. ) Nostrils — feathered, or scaled, in deep fossa of stout hard bill TETBAONID.a! 576 



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



Chabai>biii>.x 697 

 — Bcntellate in front (Snipe, &c.) 



(E.) Wing— spurred Pabbid.s: 669 



— not spurred ; forehead — covered with a homy shield (Gallinules) KALLro.*: 669 



— feathered; length — 2 feet or more Abamid^ 667 



— under 2 feet; 1st primary — attenuate (Woodcock). . . Scoi.OPAOiD.ffi: 614 



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



BALLiD.ffi: 669 



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



or HiEUATOPODID.^ 606 



B. [TAe hind toe not devated.] 

 )ToES SYSDACTTLOtrs; tibisB naked below; bill straight, acute (Kingfishers) ALcaEDiNiD.a: 468 



TiBLffii K AKED BELOW. (Go tO d.) 



Nostrils opening behbath soft swollen membrane. (Go to e.) 

 Bill hooked and furnished with a cebe. (Go to f.) 

 BiBDS without the above ohabaotebs. (Go to g.) 



(cL) Middle claw — pectinate (Herons) Abdeid.s: 654 



— simple; tarsus — scutellate in front (Ibises) iBiDiDiE 648 



— reticulate ; bill — flat, spoon-shaped (Spoonbill) . Plataleid.^: 651 

 — not fiat, stout tapering (Wood Ibis) CiC0NiiD.ffi; 662 



(e.) Bird over IS inches long, greenish (Texan Guan) CBACiDiE: 672 



Birds under 18 inches long (Pigeons) C6LUMBiD.ffi: 562 



(£) Xyes — lateral, not surrounded by a disc; nostrils im the cere (Hawks, Eagles, &c.) . Falconid-s: 519 



or Pandionid.*; 556 



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



Stbigid.^ 502 

 — jagged 

 ALU00NID2E 500 

 (g,) FBiUABiEe — 10 ; the 1st (never spurious) always more thorn, | as long as longest (go to h). 

 — 10 ; the 1st (spurious or) at most not | as long as longest (go to 1). 



— 9 ; the Ist (never spumous) of variable length (go to k). 



(h.) I'ail — 12-feathered ; tarsal envelope irregular (Flycatchers) TYEANNID.S; 428 



— 10-feathered; secondaries — only 6; bill subulate (Humming-birds) . . . Tboohilidj: 4SS 



— more than 6; biU small, very short (Swifts) . . CYP8ELiD.aE 456 

 (L ) Tarsus — " booted " ; wings — shorter than tail, both much rounded ; plumage very lax CuiXMiSM 262 



— longer than tail; tail — double-rounded AMPELiDiE 326 



— not double-rounded (Thrushes, &c.) TuEDiD.ffi! 240 

 — acntellate; nostrils- concealed; bill— strongly epignatjious, toothed andnotched(Shrikes) 



IiANIID.ffi: 336 

 — paragnathous;- over 7 inches long (Crows and 



Jays) 00EviD.aE 414 

 — not 7 Inches ; bill — nearly = head 



(Nuthatches) SiTTrD.ffi; 269 

 — scarcely or not 

 J = head (Tits) Pabid^s; 263 



