ACCIFITUES. 



251 



lines; a suite of white spots on the scapulars, and six or eight 

 feathers in each tuft; a beautiful little bird.(l) 



Certain large species have the legs naked as well as the 



toes.(2) 



ORDER II. 



PASSERINE. 



This order is the most numerous of the whole class. Its 

 character, at first, seems purely negative, for it embraces all 

 birds which are neither swimmers, waders, climbers, rapa- 

 cious, nor gallinaceous. By comparing them with each other, 

 however, we soon perceive a great mutual similarity of struc- 

 ture, and particularly such insensible transitions from one 

 genus to another, that it is extremely difficult to separate them 

 into subdivisions. 



They neither have the violence of the birds of prey, nor 

 the fixed regimen of the gallinacese, nor of the water-birds ; 

 insects, fruit, and grain constitute their food, which consists 

 the more exclusively of grain, in proportion to the largeness 

 of their beak, and of insects, as it is the more slender. I'hose 

 which have strong beaks pursue even small birds. 



Their stomach is a muscular gizzard. They have, gene- 

 rally, two very small c^eca. Among them we find the singing 

 birds, and the most complicated inferior larynx. ./ 



The proportional length of their wings, and their power of 

 flight are as various as their habits. 



(1) We can find no difference between the Str. zorca of Cetti, the Sir. camiol- 

 ica of Scopoli, the Str. pukhella of Pallas and the Scops ; these gentlemen must 

 have considered their birds as distinct, because Linnaeus described the tuft of his 

 as consisting of a single feather. Add the St. nudipede, [Bub. nudipedes,) Vieill. 

 Amer. 22. The Str. atricapilla, T. Col. 45, or Str. cnicigera, Spix, IX. The Str. 

 noctula, T Col. 99. 



(2) The Str. ketupu, T. Col. 74, and the Str. Leschenauldi, Id. Col. 20, will be 

 found at most to form but one species. 



