54 



KEY TO FAMILIES. 



plumage, olive-green or yellow being the most frequent ; bill various, never 

 notched at the tip, usually slender and shai-ply pointed, without conspicuous 

 bristles, hut sometimes flattened and broader than high at the base, when 

 the bristles are evident (thus resembling the bill of a true Flycatcher, but 

 the back of the tarsus is always thin and narrow, and never rounded as in 

 front) ; rarely the bill is heavier, more thrushlike or linohlike ; second or 

 third primary longest, the first little if any shorter ; tail generally square, 

 sometimes rounded, the outer feathers frequently blotched with white, 

 p. 333. 



Family 13. MotacilUdm. — Wagtails 

 and Pipits (Fig. 54). 

 No bristles over the nostrils; bill 

 slender, much as in the preceding ; 

 hind toe-nail much lengthened, as 

 long as or longer than the toe ; first 

 three primaries of equal length, 

 p. 375. 



Family 14. Troglodytidm. — Theash- 



EKs, Wkens, etc. (Fig. 55). 

 Subfamily Mimirus.. — Thrashers, 

 Mockingbirds, and Catbirds. 



Length 8-00-1 2-00; tarsus scaled; 



tail rounded, the outer feathers at 



least half an inch shorter than the 



middle ones, third to fifth primary 



longest, the first about half as long, 



p. 376. 

 Subfamily Troglodytinm. — Wreks. 



Length 4-00-6-00; bill moderate, 



the upper mandible slightly curved, 



no bristles at its base; third to 



fourth primary longest, first about 



half as long ; tail short and round- 

 ed ; brown or brownish birds with 



indistinctly barred wings and tail, 



P- 376. Yia. 55. 



Family 16. CeHhiidm. — Creepebs (Fig. 

 56). . 

 Bill slender and much curved; tail- 

 feathers pointed and slightly stiffened, 

 p. 385. 



Fig. 06. 



