46 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



N. Nostrils exposed ; tarsus not scutellate behind ; nail of hind toe very 



long but curved ; i wing, 3-3^ long VI. Pipits, etc. 



N. Nostrils exposed ; wing over 3J long ; breast with yellow 



XI\". Meadow Larks. 



N. Not as above ; some forms in XIII. Finches, etc. 



0. Plumage mottled browns and soft ; middle toe much longer than 

 the side ones ; its nail (pectinated) witli saw-like teeth on the inner 



side^ XXI. Goatsuckers, etc. 



0. Plumage compact ; nail of middle toe not pectinated. (P. ) 

 P. Tail of stiff feathers (in our common species the tail is rounded, with 



stiff shafts extending beyond the webs) ^ XX. Swifts. 



P. Tail without stiff feathers and never rounded, often forked and witli- 



out spinous tips ; head never crested XI. Swallows. 



P. Tail nearly square ; its feathers tipped with yellow, head crested*. . . 



X. Waxwings. 



Q. Bill stout and decidedly hooked, higher at base than long ; bright- 

 colored bn'd with yellow, orange, and green feathers 



XXVI. Parrots. 



Q. Bill stout and straight ;^ tail feathers stiff and acute-pointed'' 



XXII. Woodpeckers. 



Q. Bill various, but always somewhat curved and without teeth along 



the cutting edge ; tail long, of round-tipped soft feathers 



XXV. Cuckoos, etc. 



Q. Bill short, broad, and decidedly toothed ; ' tail long, of 12 broad 

 feathers XXI\'. Trogons. 



Key to the Families of Wading Birds 



* Toes in front webbed to the nails like the duck's ; ^ bill with teeth-like 



ridges, also like the duck's ; legs with the tarsus 12 inches or more 

 long ; Florida XLIX. Flamingoes. 



* Nails of the toes excessively lengthened and nearly straight ; nail of the 



hind toe much longer than its toe ; ^ southern Texas 



XXXV. Jacanas. 



* Birds with neither full-webbed toes nor nails lengthened and straight- 



ened. (A.) 



