OF ORNITHOLOGY 47 



ily, show clearly how difficult even yet it is to decide just 

 where, as a family, it belongs. We prefer to place it here, so 

 that we may show the difference between it and its nearest al- 

 lies the Titlarks. 



The two sub-families into which this family are divided are, 



a CALANDRITIN-ffi Shore Larks 

 b ALAUDIN^I Skylarks 



These are misleading, as the old and still much used name 

 for our American Shore Lark was Alauda, and here we apply 

 it exclusively to the European Skylark as Alauda arvensis; 

 while now, though placing our American Shorelark in the sub- 

 family Galandritince we do not use the name with a generic 

 signification and «ay Calandrita. It is, therefore, better to do 

 away with sub-families entirely, and give the family two 



Genera, Eremophila, The True Larks (3 species). 

 Alauda, The Skylarks. 



Though these names are often used as synonyms they are quite distinct. 



FAMILY VIII MOTACILLIDAE THE WAG- 

 TAILS TITLARKS PIPITS 



Latin Motacilla, "The White Water Wagtail." 

 The similarity, in many respects, of this family with the 

 preceding (VII) places it, naturally, next in order. Those 

 unacquainted with the species, except in name perhaps, readily 

 confound them, yet they are radically distinct. They have : 

 Bill short, slender, straight, and with noticeable notch at tip ; 

 nostrils open {not concealed by feathers); wing without a spu- 

 rious quill (primaries 9) and of about the same length as in 

 the tail ; tarsus with scutella, and hind toe nail long and not 

 much curved. A comparison of the specimens of these two 

 families will show the distinct peculiarities of the tarsus and 

 the toes and their clefts in each. The sub-families are each 

 well defined. 



