34 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



commented on the peculiar features of the Toucan and Nightjar groups, and 

 pointed out the great analogy that existed between raptorial birds and car- 

 nivorous quadrupeds. The Vulture preys by its scent, and is furnished with a 

 fleshy caruncle, which is subservient to its sense of smell. The Falcon secures 

 its prey by sight, and this organ of vision is accordantly powerful ; the Owl by 

 hearing, and that bird is equally remarkable for the complicated structure of its 

 ear, to which the aigrette is designed to collect and confine the sound. — The 

 Canine and Feline race of quadrupeds, Mr. Vigors remarked, also possessed 

 similar faculties by which they secured their prey.' — The next analogy alluded to 

 was that between the bills of the Snipes and Toucans, the former using it for 

 probing the soft mud, and the latter likewise employing it for probing, but in a 

 different manner. — The majority of birds which were cohabitants with the 

 Toucans in the South American forests had elongated pensile nests, suspended 

 from the extreme branches of trees, beyond the reach of Snakes and Monkeys. 

 Nature had, however, appointed the Toucans to regulate their number, by pro- 

 viding them with a bill beautifully adapted for the purpose of inserting in those 

 nests, and dragging forth the eggs or callow young. — Mr. Vigors then adverted 

 at some length to Mr. Blyth's observations on the pectinated claws of birds, and 

 concluded with a eulogium on that gentleman's valuable information, more 

 particularly as regarded the connection between the eye-lashes and rostral 

 protuberance of the Hornbills and the Crotopkagce, and requested Mr. Macleay 

 to communicate his own personal observation on the latter. 



Mr. Macleay then rose and remarked it would be presumption in him, after 

 the interesting discussion which had taken place, to add any observations. — From 

 his long residence in the West Indies, he had frequent opportunities of studying 

 the habits of Ani. It is a bird extremely sensitive of cold, and does not live in 

 captivity, even in that climate, unless kept by a fire ; they usually congregated 

 in considerable numbers, like the Tit, and thus obtained additional warmth. On 

 dissecting the bird and closely examining the stomach, he found it contained a 

 portion of animal food. He considered the eye-lashes protected the sight (in the 

 manner stated by Mr. Blyth) when passing through the briars. He then called 

 attention to a highly interesting fact, which he had lately discovered, and which 

 furnished an exclusive definition to the great order of Insessores, or Perching birds, 

 allowed on all hands to be a natural group, but which had hitherto baffled the 

 ingenuity of naturalists to define satisfactorily. The character to which Mr. 

 Macleay had alluded was one common and peculiar to the Insessorial order, viz. 

 — that their young are hatched naked or callow. 



Mr. Blyth again rose, and statpd that the same character had also occurred 

 to him, as Mr- Yarrell and many other naturalists were aware, but he pointed 

 out certain exceptions to exist, as the Caprimidgidcc on the one hand, among 



