Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-08-10
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS.
An Abstract OF a Paper Prepared by
Mrs. r. u. Rarrows for the August
Meeting Of the BrRttIebOrO Bird Club

Ornithology, from two Greek words,
meaning bird and discourse, Is that branch
of zoology which treats of birds and the
literature respecting them. In 1876
work by Willoughby gave the first APP
proach TO a system of classification of
birds. In 1896 was published the first edi-
ton of a work by Lnneus, the Swedish
naturalist, in which this question was con-
sidered. Linneus is looked upon as to a
great extent the father of modern meth
DDS.
In 1885 theAmerican Ornithologists' un-
ion adopted a code Of rules and issued
check list, the authority of which has been
recognized and the nomenclature followed
by most orDitholOgsts since that time.
Generally speaking, the orders and fam
lilies are bias ed on internal characteristics;
the skeetal, muscular and vrceral forma-
ton; genera on tx ernal characteristics,
as the form of bill, feet, wings and tail;
and species mainly on color and size.
All birds, whether living or extinct, be-
long to the class AYES In this are five sub
classes, only two of them having living
representatives. 1t is only with birds
belonging TO the last sub class of all
that We have to deal. This class Is called
Cdrinatg, from cdrind, meaning keel.
a
special adaptation for flight, and are dis
tinguished also by the absence of teeth.
This sub-class, Carinate, is separated
into II orders, each order being composed
of several families.
These orders are placed in natural Sc
quence, beginning with the oldest, or low
est forms of birds, as looms, globes, etc,
and ending with the most highly develop
ed ones, thrushes, bluebirds, etc.
The first order, diving birds, includes
globes, looms and auks.
?. Long-winged swimmers, gulls, terms.
3. Tube-nosed swimmers, albatross,
petrol
4. Tropical birds, gannetts, cormorants.
3. Ducks, geese, swans.
q. Flamingoes.
I. StOrks, herons, egrets, etc.
8. Cranes and rails.
o. Shore birds, snpes, sandpipers, plo-
vers.
10. Gallnaceous birds; grouse, bob
whites, pheasants.
IL. Pigeons and doves.
II. Birds of prey eagles, hawks, owls
10. Parrots and paroquets.
! IA. Cuckoos. kingfshers.
10. Woodpeckers.
10. Swifts, humming birds, night
hawks, whippoorwills.
II. Perching birds.
The last named order, Passeres, or
perching birds, represents the highest grade
of development and the most complex or
ganization OF the class AYES, and includes
the great majority of birds. This order
is subdivided into II families, 10 found
east of the Mississippi river.
l. Tyrannida, nycatchers, songless
perching birds, as the phobe, wood pewee,
king bird and others.
2. Alaudid@ or larks.
3. Corvida, crows and jays.
4. Sturnid,e, starlings.
5. IcteTida. A distinctive American
family, Including the Baltimore and or
chard oriole, bobolink, red winged black
bird, purple and bronzed grackles, cow
bird and meadow lark.
9. Fringilli 'e, finches and sparrows.
These form the largest family of birds.
This family includes $50 species and rep.
resentatives are found in all parts of the
world except Australia. To this family
belong finches, sparrows, buntings, linnets,
grosbeaks and crossbils. These birds are
seed eaters and not so migratory as insect
eating birds; they are very social and most
of them highly musical.
!. Tanagride, tanagers. Also all
American family.
8. Hirundinide, swallows. Birds
having long, powerful wings and small
weak feet, spending most of their time in
the air in pursuit of their insect prey
We have the purple martin, barn, bank
cliff and tree swallows.
8. Ampelide, waxwings, as our cedar
waxwing or cherry bird.
10. LanidR, shrikes, as our northern
shrike or butcher bird.
IL. Vireonide, vireos. Called by Bur
roughs link between the warblers anC
the true fycAtchers. The red-eyed, the
warbling, the white-eyed are familiar ex
amples.
II. Mniotiltide, wood warblers. Thii
family comes next to the fnches in size IL
North America. Seventy species visit thu
United States. Twenty-seven species
have been reported to our Bird club a.
having been seen in Brattleboro. Thest
birds are highly migratory. While few
species nest with us the majority go to the
conferous forests of the North to breed
They spend the winters in the far South
thousands of miles thus separating thei
summer and winter homes.
13. Motacilide, wagtalls. Only on
specie is found in the United States.
H. 1IOBlOuyJlut, LuIuSueS anu WIeus
We have the brown thrasher and the cat
bird, also the house wren and winter wren
Is. Certhiide, creepers. The brown
creeper is the only one of his family il
America, familiar to many of us.
10. Paride, nuthatches and titmice
The black-capped titmOuse is a favorlte o
ours.
II. Sylviide, kinglets and gnat
catchers. Active little birds, constant,
fitting about in search Of food. We hav
two kinglets, the ruby crowned being al
especially fine singer.
10. Turdida. This family, the thrushes
is now considered the highest group o
birds. They are given first rank anon
song birds. The Wilson's, wood and her
NIT thrushes are best known to us. TIL
robin and bluebird belong in this famil
and no birds give us more pleasure thai
these early spring visitors.
The classification of birds, like man
other subjects, cannot fail to grow NOR
interesting as we advance in our knowl
edge of this branch of science.
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