200 Mr. A. R. Wallace on the Natural Arrangement of Birds, 



peculiar conformation of the feet which affects the whole character 

 and habits of these birds, which is not the case with the trivial 

 circumstance of the toes being partially united. They have, 

 moreover, none of the Fissirostral habits, nor any modification of 

 them, as they do not capture insects on the wing, those which 

 we have found in their stomachs being always ants and small 

 Coleoptera, picked off the bark and leaves of the trees. To what 

 erroneous results a dependence on such isolated characters as 

 more or less united toes will lead, is seen by the Manakins and 

 RupicolcB of S. America being also often considered as Fissi- 

 rostres on the same grounds as the Eurylaimi. Those birds are, 

 however, purely frugivorous, are excessively active on their feet, 

 have strong skins, firmly-set plumage (as have also the Eury- 

 laimi), and, in fact, not one single natural character which can 

 remove them from the great mass of Perching birds. The beau- 

 tiful Calyptomena viridis has also all the habits of the Chatterers, 

 and cannot be separated from them without a great violation of 

 natural affinities. nit ,mer 



The little Todies of the W. Indies have also'been= usually 

 classed as Fissirostres ; but their moderately long and slender 

 legs, short rounded wings, and their excessive activity on their 

 feet, are so totally opposed to the characters of every other 

 member of that group, that we think them far more naturally 

 associated with such Flycatchers as Todirostrum and MegalophtLS. 

 From the description of Mr. Gosse, in his ' Birds of Jamaica,^ it 

 appears that they are most active little birds, hopping, perching, 

 and flying after insects in every possible place and position : 

 how totally opposed is this to the general character of the Fissi- 

 rostres, which are sedentaryand motionless, except when upon the 

 wing ! We cannot allow the one character of their nidification 

 in holes on the banks of streams to counterbalance such a total 

 diversity in structure and habits. It is, besides, impossible to 

 point out any one group of Fissirostres to which they can be 

 said to make any approach, whereas they have the greatest 

 possible resemblance to the genera of Flycatchers above men- 

 tioned. We must therefore unhesitatingly decide, that the 

 Todies are not to enter among the Fissirostres. 



In place, however, of these two families which we reject, we 

 introduce two others which have not generally found a place 

 here. From an examination of. the structure of the feet and 

 toes, and from a consideration of their habits, we are led to con- 

 clude that the Hornbills are Fissirostral birds, though of a very 

 abnormal form. Their very short legs, and united toes with a 

 broad flat sole, are exactly similar to those of the Kingfishers. 

 They have powerful wings, but their heavy bodies oblige them 

 to use much exertion in flight, which is not therefore very rapid, 

 though often extended to considerable distances. They are (in 



