CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 



THEIR ORIGIN AND SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS 



PAGES 



Diagnosis of a bird — Descent of birds — ArchcCopteryx 

 — Cretaceous Ornitholites — Upper Eocene Orni- 

 tholites — Miocene Ornitholites — Pliocene Orni- 

 tholites — Tertiary gigantic birds — New Zealand 

 Moas — Mdttagascar ^pyornithes — Miocene tropi- 

 cal genera in Europe — The feathers of birds — 

 Contour feathers — D own-plumes — Powder-downs 

 — Filoplumes — Colour of feathers — Abnormal 

 colouration — Arrangement and pattern of colour — 

 Differences in colour due to age, sex, and season 

 — Colour and environment — Moulting — The avine 

 skeleton — The anterior and posterior limbs — The 

 head or skull — Internal organs — Muscular, ner- 

 vous, and digestive systems — Respiratory organs — 

 The young of birds 1-53 



CHAPTER n 



THE PRINCIPAL BIRD GROUPS 



The two Primary Divisions — The Carinata: and 

 Ratita2 — Moas and Rocs — Rheas, Cassowaries, 

 and Emus — Kiwis and Ostriches — The Crypturi 

 or Tinamous — The Impennes or Penguins — The 

 Colymbiformes or Divers and Grebes — The 



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