114 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



have usually been placed with them; but they differ in their rounded 

 wings, with well-developed tenth and shortened ninth primaries, their 

 well-developed riotal bristles, and different character of the frontal 

 feathers. Their habits, however, are said to be very similar. 



The family is peculiar to Central America and Mexico, one species 

 extending into the southwestern United States. Only three genera, 

 with four species, are known. 



KEY TO THE GENEKA OP PTILOGONATIDJB. 



a. Crested; tarsus shorter than middle toe with claw, the acrotarsium distinctly 

 scutellate, as well as lower fourth or more of the planta tarsi; outer toe slightly 

 but decidedly longer than inner; wing little, if any, longer than tail (usually 

 much shorter). 

 6. Wing decidedly shorter than tail; three outermost primaries narrow and 

 pointed; bill, broad, its width at base much more than length of gonys; nos- 

 tril bordered by membrane only superiorly and posteriorly; feathers of crest 

 broad and blended; plumage partly yellow, the rectrices with a large white 



patch on inner web Ptilogonya (p. 114) 



66. "Wing and tail about equal in length; three outermost primaries of normal 

 shape (their tip broad and rounded) ; bill narrow (width at base not more 

 than length of gonys) ; nostril entirely surrounded by membrane; feathers 

 of crest narrow and distinct; plumage without yellow, the rectrices without 



white Phainopepla (p. 120) 



aa. Not crested; tarsus longer than middle toe with claw, the acrotarsium " booted" 

 or else very indistinctly scutellate for upper half or more, a the planta tarsi 

 undivided; outer toe not longer than inner; wing much longer than tail. 



Fhainoptila (p. 123) ' 



Genus PTILOGONYS S-wainson. 



PtUogonys Swainson, Cat. Bullock's Mex. Mus., 1824, App., p. 4. (Type, P. 



cinereus Swainson. ) 

 Ptiliogonys (emendation) Swainson, Philos. Mag., new ser., i, May, 1827, 268. 

 PtUiogonatus (emendation) Swainson, Zool. Journ., iii, July, 1827, 164. 

 Sphenotelus Baird, Review Am. Birds, May, 1866, 412. (Type, Ptilogonys cau- 



datus Cabanis.) 



Ptilogonatidse with tail much longer than wing, head with a bushy 

 blended crest, plumage partly yellow, and inner webs of rectrices with 

 a large patch of white. 



Bill broad, depressed, its width at posterior extremity of nostrils 

 decidedly greater than distance from nostril to tip of maxilla, and 

 decidedly greater than its depth at same point; culmen strongly 

 decurved terminally, the tip of maxilla distinctly uncinate; maxillary 

 tomium Straight, with distinct subterminal notch; gonys shorter than 

 unfeathered portion of mandibular rami, distinctly convex. Nostril 

 rather large, roundish or oval, wholly exposed, bordered above and 

 behind, sometimes in front also, by membrane. Rictal bristles well 

 developed. Wing decidedly shorter than tail; ninth primary equal 



« Except in young. 



