"sympelmous," the outer (4th) and middle toes united for at least half their length; the inner toe (2nd) weakened; the 

 soles of all greatly flattened; plumage often highly colored. Size pygmy to crow. Eggs 2-10; pure white. A large 

 family of cosmopolitan distribution, but chiefly paljeo-tropical and Australian; some 200 forms described; only one 

 Californian. 



206. 



Order 6. 



Western Belted Kingfisher. 



CAPRIMULGIFORMES. 



Family Caprimulgidte. Goatsuckers, etc. 



Characters defined under the order. Nearly cosmopolitan 



I. Bristles well developed; nostrils distinctly tubular. 



II. Bristles minute; nostrils scarcely tubular. 



A. A white patch on primaries occupying 5 outer quills and placed 

 proximally to the tip of the 7th. 



B. A white (or tawny) patch occupying 4 outer quills and placed 

 more distally, opposite tip of 6th. 



About 125 species. 3 Californian. 

 207. Nuttall's Poorwill. 



208. Pacific Nighthawk. 



209. Texas Nighthawk. 



Order 7. STRIGES. 

 Family 1. Tytonid;e. Barn Owls. 



A singularly uniform group, showing deep-seated structural differences from the other owls, as, for example, 

 the furculum (wish-bone) ankylosed (united) to the manubrium, the anterior extension of the breast-bone. Eggs 

 elongate ovate, not rounded. One genus of some 30 species and subspecies, one Californian. 



210. American Barn Owl. 



Family 2. Strigid^e. 



I. Head with conspicuous ear-tufts. 



A. Length about 2 feet. 



B. Length about 15 inches. 



1. Ear-tufts prominent. 



2. Ear-tufts much reduced. 



C. Length 8-10 inches; irides yellow. 



D. Length about 7 inches; irides dark. 



II. Head without ear-tufts. 



A. Color chiefly white. 



B. Color not extensively white. 



1. Length two feet or more. 



2. Length 16 inches or more. 



3. Length 10 or under; tarsi lengthened, exposed. 



4. Length about 8 inches; facial disc highly developed. 



5. Length about 7 inches; facial disc less prominent. 



6. Length about 6 inches; tarsi nearly naked. 



Other Owls. 



218. Horned Owl. 



211. Long-eared Owl. 



212. Short-eared Owl. 



216. Screech Owl. 



217. Flammulated Screech Owl. 



219. Snowy Owl. 



214. Great Gray Owl. 



213. Spotted Owl. 



220. Burrowing Owl. 



215. Saw-what Owl. 



221. Pygmy Owl. 



222. Arizona Elf Owl. 



Order 8. COCCYGES. 

 Family CucuLiDiE. Cuckoos. 



Characters those of the order. More than 250 species, of which two Californian. 

 Length 2 feet or less; bill, tarsus and tail lengthened, ground- 



haunting. 

 Length a foot or over; tree haunting. 



223. Road-runner. 



224. California Cuckoo. 



Order 9. COLUMBIFORMES. 

 Family Columbidte. True Pigeons, Doves. 



Characters those (normal) of the order. More than 400 species, 4 Californian. 



I. Tarsus feathered above; largest — length about 16 inches. 225. Band-tailed Pigeon. 



II. Tarsus naked throughout. 



A. Tail of 14 feathers, lengthened, wedge-shaped. 226 



B. Tail of 12 feathers. 



1. Length about 12 inches; a white patch on wing. 227 



2. Length about 7 inches. 228 



Western Mourning Dove. 



Western White-winged Dove. 

 Mexican Ground Dove. 



2085 



