2 ESSENTIAL CHARACTERS OF THE ORDERS. 



thick muscular coat, and thin, dense, longitudinally rugous 

 epithelium. Intestine of moderate length, and very wide ; no 

 coeca ; cloaca very large and elliptical. Legs very short ; tar- 

 sus short ; first toe very short, sometimes wanting, directed 

 backwards, as is the fourth or outer, which is equal to the third 

 or longer, the second and third united at the base ; claws re- 

 markably large, much curved, extremely compressed, broadly 

 grooved on the sides, and with the tips very acute. Wings 

 large, much rounded, the first quill very small. Tail short 

 or of moderate length, often rigid, of ten or twelve feathers. 

 PI. XIV. 



ORDER VIII. CUCULIN^. CUCKOOS. 



Bill of moderate size or large, wide at the base, much com- 

 pressed toward the end, somewhat arched and pointed ; upper 

 mandible with the ridge more or less arcuate, the edges notch- 

 less at the end, the tip decurved, acute. Tongue moderate, 

 flattened, tapering. Oesophagus wide, without crop ; proven- 

 triculus large ; stomach very large, round, with its muscular 

 coat thin, and the epithelium soft and rugous. Intestine of 

 moderate length and width, with large oblong coeca. Toes 

 broad beneath, first small, fourth directed backwards, second 

 and third united at the base ; claws moderate, curved, com- 

 pressed, acute, that of the first toe sometimes much elongated. 

 Wings long or moderate, much rounded. Tail long, graduated 

 or rounded, of twelve broad feathers. PI. XVI. 



ORDER IX. RAPTORES. PLUNDERERS. 



Bill short or moderate ; upper mandible cerate at the base, 

 without sinus, but with the nostrils perforated in the cere, the 

 tip decurved, elongated, and pointed. Tongue short, concave, 

 fleshy, rounded or emarginate. (Esophagus wide, dilated into 

 a crop in the diurnal species ; proventriculus wide ; stomach 

 very large, round, with its muscular coat very thin, and the 



