— Salvin and Godman, Biol. Oentr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1891, 145 (includes Furnariidæ).
- = Dendrocolaptidæ Garrod, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1877, 452. — Stejneger, Stand. Nat. Hist., iv, 1SS5, 478, in text.
Tracheophone Mesomyodian Passeres with the metasternum 2- notched, interorbital septum imperforate, postorbital process small, maxillo-palatines short and broad (crossing posterior end of the olfactory fossa and terminating immediately in front of the descending plate of the palatine), vomer short, tensor patagii brevis tendon typically passerine, nares usually holorhinal (but occasionally schizorhinal); syrinx tracheal, with two pairs of short tracheo-bronchal muscles, palate compound ægithognathous or semi-desmognathous (the palatines fused at anterior end and with the internasal septum); mesorhinium normal; tarsal envelope endaspidean; outer toe about as long as middle toe (much longer than inner toe), the three anterior toes united for full length of the basal phalanx; the middle adherent to the outer by nearly, if not quite, the full length of the second phalanx also; hallux (without claw) shorter than inner toe (without claw).
Like the allied Furnariidæ the Dendrocolaptidæ are peculiar to the continental portions of the Neotropical Region, but unlike the latter they belong almost exclusively to the intertropical portions, and are, proportionally, better developed in the Central American district. The family is far less numerous and varied, however, than the Furnariidæ, consisting of only about 14 genera and 127 species, or considerably less than half as many as are contained in the allied family.
The Dendrocolaptidæ are more arboreal than the Furnariidæ, all being distinctly "scansorial," while comparatively few of the Furnariidæ are thus adapted. They represent and more or less resemble, superficially, the Woodpeckers (Picidæ) and Tree-Creepers (Certhiidæ), more especially the latter, most of the species having similarly curved and compressed bills, a more or less varied brownish coloration, and lengthened, graduated, and stiff-pointed tails. Like the Certhiidæ and unlike the Picidæ they have three toes in front and one behind, but the former, instead of being cleft to the base are united for the length of their first and second phalanges; and the middle toe, instead of being much longer than the outer one, barely, or not at all exceeds the latter in length. Like the Woodpeckers, however, and unlike the Creepers, the Woodhewers have the habit of loudly tapping or hammering on the trunks and branches of trees. Some genera have the bill enormously developed as to length and greatly curved, sometimes in the shape of a bow — a modification
evidently adapted to the purpose of probing the burrows of woodboring insects. In others the bill is straight and quite woodpecker-
