Page:Birds of North and Middle America partV Ridgway.djvu/31

Rh habits, a plain coloration characterizes the entire group, not a single species possessing a brilliant plumage, while the majority are among the dullest colored of birds. They are mostly forest birds, though the Pteroptochidæ and some of the Furnariidæ inhabit bushy tracts or even more open places. The Pteroptochidæ, Conopophagidæ, and Formicariidæ are chiefly terrestrial, but the Dendrocolaptidæ and many of the Furnariidæ glean their food from the trunks of forest trees, in the manner of Woodpeckers and Creepers.

In Dr. Sclater's catalogue of the Tracheophonse, 559 species are recognized ; but since this number represents only those that were autoptically known to the author it may safely be assumed that the actual number of recognizable forms, including subspecies, is not far from 800.

a. Only one pair of tracheo-bronchial muscles; metasternum 4-notched, or else (in Formicariidæ) tensor patagii brevis tendon normally passerine and nares holorhinal; tarsal envelope not exaspidean (endaspidean, taxaspidean, or holaspidean).
 * b. Metasternum 4-notched; tensor patagii brevis tendon quasi-picarian.
 * c. Interorbital septum perforate; postorbital process small, placed low down on side of skull; maxillo-palatines long and slender, curved backward; vomer short, with long limbs; intrinsic muscles present; sterno-trachealis not attached to processus vocales; palate ægithognathous (oscinine); mesorhinium compressed and arched or else expanded into a flattened oval shield; nostrils conspicuously operculate; tarsal envelope taxaspidean or holaspidean.

Pteroptochidæ (p. 4)