103 



FAMILY IX. MOTACILLID^. 



(Wagtails.) 



Primaries 9 ; first about=second ; inner secondaries enlarged, the longest about 

 = to the primaries in closed wing. Bill shorter than head, very slender, straight, 

 acute, notched at tip. Feet large, fitted for walking, hind claw long ; nostrils ex- 

 posed. A group of about 100 Old World species. Most of them are terrestrial. 

 They have a habit of moving the tail up and down, as if " balancing themselves 

 on unsteady footing," hence are called *' Wagtails." 



ANTHUS. Beehstein. Titlarks. 



26. A. LUDOUICIANUS. (Gm.) Licht. Brown Lark, Titlark, Pipit. Dark 

 brown, slightly streaked ; superciliary line and under parts buffy ; breast and sides 

 streaked ; outer tail feathers more or less white. 



Migrant in November and March about Cincinnati. {Langdon.) Arrives in 

 Northern Indiana about May 15, the breeding plumage just forming ; it goes on 

 north in a few days, and returns in October. {Nelson.) 



The Missouri skylark, a bird much like in habits, it is said, to the European sky- 

 lark, is a near relative of our brown lark. 



FAMILY X. SYLVICORD^. 



{The Warblers.) 



Primaries 9; bill usually slender, notched or not. Commissure not with an angle 

 as in Fringillidse, nor toothed in the middle as in our Tanagridce, Plind toe not 

 long and straight, as in the two preceding families ; the gape not broad and deep, 

 as in swallows. 



Our warblers are small birds ; most less than six inches and many less than five. 

 The rictus is usually bristled. The colors are usually brilliant and variegated, but 

 the sexes are unlike, and the variations due to age and season are so great the study 

 of the species is often difficult. 



The family comprises a hundred or more species, mainly North American. All 

 are insectivorous and migratory. Many are pleasing songsters, but none are re- 

 markably so. 



The group is known by negative rather than by positive characters. There are 

 three well marked sub-families, based mainly on characters of the bill. 



KEY TO THE GENERA OF WARBLERS. 



I. SYLVICOLIN^. True Warblers. These have the bill slender, not hooked, 

 as high as wide at base, usually with short bristles or none. Wings longer 

 than tail, except in Geothlypis. Length 6^ or less. 

 *Tail feathers, some or all of them blotched with white. 



