OF ORNITHOLOGY 57 



tented with their present position. The peculiarities of the 

 family are striking. Few could mistake the general appear- 

 ance of a Swallow : The long, pointed wings ; the delicate 

 yet stiffened feathers of the tail ; the little legs, feet, and toes ; 

 the short, wide and compressed bill, give the familiar features 

 of a Swallow at first sight. More particularly, we have : 

 wings of 9 quills, nicely graduated from the first, which is the 

 longest, to the last, which is about half the length of the first; 

 tail usually forked more or less, outer feathers often very 

 long ; bill short, broad, and compressed, with deep gape ; nos- 

 trils various in the different groups and usually without rictal 

 bristles ; feet small and weak ; tarsus scutellate (in front), feet 

 weak but claws strong. The head and mouth resemble very 

 strongly those of the Goatsuckers and Swifts. 



Genera, Hirundo, The Barn Swallow and allies (4 species). 

 Cotyle, The Bank Swallow (2 species). 

 Progne, The Martins (2 species). 



Sub-genera, Iridoprocne, Tachycineta, Petrochelidon, of Hirundo ; and 

 Stelgidopteryx of Cotyle. Note. — Stelgidopteryx often assumes 



the position of a true genus, but we do not think that its similarity to Co- 

 tyle and its dissimilarity to the other swallows will properly admit to this. 



FAMILY XIII AMPELIDAE THE WAXWINGS 



Greek ampelion, " a diminutive singing bird, species not determined, 

 doubtless one of the ' Motacillce ' the ' Warbler tribe ' that frequent 

 vineyards; hence the name ampelos, a vineyard." 

 Were this family comprised of the Waxwings alone there 

 would be little difficulty in disposing of it satisfactorily ; but 

 the species which, for want of a better place, are associated 

 with them render the whole group one very difficult to man- 

 age, at least in respect to its position. It is pretty generally 

 conceded to have three sub-families, which, however, agree in 

 having the : bill short, stout, compressed, and wide at base, tip 

 notched ; rictal bristles, if any, few and short ; basal portion 

 of toes more or less joined to each other. The species of the 

 family are so few that they are easily studied individually. 

 The common Cedar Bird is a good type of the group. To 



