CHAR. Bill slender, conical, nearly as high as wide at the base, with slight notch at the tip; the culmen slightly concave above the anterior extremity of the nostrils; short bristles at gape, which, however, do not extend forward to nostrils. Loral feathers soft and dense, but with bristly points; nasal groove filled with naked membrane, with the elongated nostrils in lower edge; the frontal feathers coming up to the aperture, but not directed forward nor overhanging it. Wings lengthened and sharp-pointed; the primaries nine (without spurious first), of which the first three to five, considerably longer than the succeeding, form the tip; the exterior secondaries generally much emarginated at the ends; the inner secondaries (so-called tertials) nearly equal to the longest primaries. The tail rather narrow, emarginate. Tarsi lengthened, scutellate anteriorly only, the hind claw usually very long, acute, and but slightly curved (except in _Motacilla_). Inner toe cleft almost to the very base, outer adherent for basal joint only. The combination of naked nostrils, notched bill, and nine primaries, with the tarsi scutellate anteriorly only, will at once distinguish the _Anthinæ_ of this family from the _Alaudidæ_, which they so closely resemble in coloration, habits, and lengthened hind claw. The lengthened, slightly curved hind claw, much pointed wings, emarginated secondaries,—the inner ones nearly as long as the primaries,—distinguish the family from the _Sylvicolidæ_, with which also it has near relationships. Subfamilies and Genera. Motacillinæ. Tail longer than or equal to wings; the two central feathers rather longer than lateral; the feathers broadest in middle, whence they taper gradually to the rounded tip. Colors uniform: gray, black, yellowish; without pale edges to feathers above, or streaks below. Tail from coccyx considerably longer than the wings, doubly forked. Hind claw shorter than the toe; decidedly curved … _Motacilla._ Tail from coccyx equal to the wings, slightly graduated. Hind claw decidedly longer than the toe, slightly curved … _Budytes._ Anthinæ. Tail shorter than the wings, emarginate at end, the two central shorter than lateral; the feathers broadest near the end, and rounding rapidly at end. Above grayish-brown, the feathers edged with paler. Under parts streaked. Wings much pointed and lengthened. Hind toe and claw shorter than tarsus; outstretched toes falling short of tip of tail … _Anthus._ Hind toe and claw longer than tarsus; outstretched toes extending beyond tip of tail … _Neocorys._ Wings short and rounded. Point of wings formed by outer four primaries of nearly equal length … _Notiocorys._[30]