in the ^^ Dictionnaire des Sciences Naluiellesy 109 



also ill the family before us we find thai the investigation of this 

 peculiarity leads to a speculation of more than ordinary interest 

 to the inquirer into affinities. Of the two orders now brought into 

 comparison the typical station of the Perching Birds is on 

 trees, of the Rasorial Birds on the ground. But the extreme 

 Tribe of the former Order, or the Scansorial Birds» are found to 

 seek their subsistence by running or walking up the stems of trees 

 in a mode corresponding with that of the Rasorial Order on the 

 ground. The trees, if I may so express myself, are to them 

 the ground. Now if we find these walking and running habits oi 

 the Scansores still further developed, and that some of the groups 

 actually feed, not on the trees but on the ground itself, we 

 shall have occasion to notice a still nearer approach, and a still 

 more immediate interchange of character, between these neigh- 

 bouring orders. This we find to be the case in an extensive group 

 of the Psittacidce^ which comprises the ground Parrakeeis of 

 Australia, or the genera Nanodes^ Plafycercus^ and Pezoporus ; as 

 well as in a group of the Picidce^ or Woodpeckers^ distinguished 

 by Mr. Swainson under the title of Colaptes^ and which includes 

 the Pic laboureur of M. Le Vaillant and several American species. 

 These birds with the general characters of the Scansores occupy 

 the same terrestrial station as the Gallinaceous Birds ; and while 

 the other typical species of their Tribe may be said to be 

 walkers or runners up the trees, they may be pronounced to be 

 climbers on the ground. This interchange of character is emi- 

 nently beautiful and well deserves the attention and the distinction 

 of the naturalist. 



Nor is the structure of the tongue a character of less im- 

 portance. Many well established genera, and groups of even still 

 higher value have been separated in consequence of the modifica- 

 tions of this member. The Woodpeckers^ the Creepers^ and the 

 whole of the Mellivorous Birds may be selected as examples. 

 The typical tongue of the Parrot is so well known, and has been 

 an object of such familiar observation in ?\\ ages, that any devia- 

 tion from the ordinary form appears to lay claim to even peculiar 

 attention. But while this deviation among the Parrots is interest- 

 ing with reference to the birds of their own group, it becomes 



