urges the caution that the scheme is intended merely for the convenient determination of the North American species, aware that in many instances diagnoses or antitheses of entire pertinence in such application would fail or be negatived by consideration of the exotic forms. The arrangement of the families here adopted is essentially that presented in 1858 in Professor Baird’s “Birds of North America,” modified somewhat in accordance with more recent views of Professor Sundevall and others. But before proceeding to the analysis of the families, I will introduce an artificial clew to the preceding higher groups as adopted, so far as they are represented by North American species.
By means of which any North American bird may be readily referred to that group to which it is held to belong.
I. Toes 3; 2 in front, 1 behind (Pici) Picariæ.
II. Toes 3; all in front.
Toes cleft or semipalmate Limicolæ.
Toes palmate.
Nostrils tubular Longipennes.
Nostrils not tubular Pygopodes.
III. Toes 4; 2 in front, 2 behind.
Bill cered and hooked Psittaci.
Bill neither cered nor hooked. (Cuculi or Pici) Picariæ.
IV. Toes 4; 3 in front, 1 behind.
1. Toes syndactyle (Cuculi) Picariæ.
2. Toes totipalmate (all four full-webbed) Steganopodes.
3. Toes palmate.
Bill curved up Limicolæ.
Bill not curved up;
lamellate Lamellirostres.
not lamellate;
hallux lobate Pygopodes.
hallux not lobate Longipennes.
4. Toes lobate.
Tail rudimentary Pygopodes.
Tail perfect.
A horny frontal shield Alectorides.
No horny frontal shield Limicolæ.
5. Toes semipalmate;
joined by evident movable basal web (A).
6. Toes cleft to the base,
or there immovably coherent (B).
A. Hind toe elevated above the level of the rest.
Tibiæ naked below.
Nostrils perforate Alectorides.
Nostrils imperforate.
Tarsi reticulate.
Head bald Herodiones.
Head feathered Limicolæ.
Tarsi scutellate in front Limicolæ.
Tibiæ feathered below.
Nostrils perforate Raptores.
Nostrils imperforate.
Gape reaching below eye. (Cypseli) Picariæ.
Gape not reaching below eye Gallinæ.
AA. Hind toe inserted on the level of the rest.
Tibiæ naked below Herodiones.
Tibiæ feathered below.
Bill cered and hooked Raptores.
Bill not cered.
Nasal membrane soft and tumid Columbæ.
Nasal scale hard and flat Gallinæ.
B. Hind toe elevated above the level of the rest.
Gape reaching below eye (Cypseli) Picariæ.
Gape not below eye.
First primary emarginate
or about equal to 2d Limicolæ.
First primary not emarginate
and much shorter than 2d Alectorides.
BB. Hind toe inserted on the level of the rest.
Nostrils opening beneath soft swollen membrane Columbæ.
Nostrils otherwise.
Bill cered and hooked Raptores.
Bill otherwise.
Secondaries only six (Cypseli) Picariæ.
Secondaries more than six (a) Passeres.
(a) Primaries 10; the 1st
more than 2⁄3 as long as the longest. (Clamatores) Passeres.
Primaries 10; the 1st
not 2⁄3 as long as the longest. (Oscines) Passeres.
Primaries 9. (Oscines) Passeres.
Recurring now to consideration of the North American Families of the foregoing higher groups, I take up the latter in the natural order in which they have been presented, giving under head of each such group an analysis of the North American families by which it is represented, reiterating the caution that the characters are drawn up only with reference to the North American genera, and are, consequently, not necessarily or always applicable upon wider considerations. These analyses are made as nearly natural as the state of the case permits, but I seize upon any obvious external characters which may be afforded, without regard to their morphological significance or taxonomic value.
A. Oscines. Musical apparatus highly developed. Back of tarsus undivided, or formed of a few scutella distinct from those lapping over the front. First primary wanting, spurious, or at most not over two thirds the length of the longest.
a. Each side of tarsus covered with a plate undivided in most or all of its length, and meeting its fellow in a sharp ridge behind.
b. Primaries only nine.
c. Bill triangular, depressed, about as wide at base as long; the gape twice as long as the culmen, reaching to about opposite the eyes; tomia straight or gently curved. No obvious rictal bristles. Tarsi not longer than the lateral toe and claw. Wings long and pointed, the first primary equal to or longer than the second. Central tail-feathers not half as long as the wing … Hirundinidæ.
cc. Bill variously conico-elongate
