490 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



diameter in most, and the muscles are exceedingly simple, so 

 that the Rasores cannot modulate their voice. In most of the 

 groups, the accessory plume to the clothing feathers is present, 

 and is large indeed in many. 



This order is remarkable for comprising so many species capable 

 of domestication, and the common fowl, which undoubtedly takes 

 its origin from the Red Jungle-fowl, has been domesticated from 

 the earliest period. 



Gallinaceous birds evince many interesting analogies with 

 Ruminating animals among Mammals. The crop may be said to 

 represent the paunch, both being simply dilatations of the oesopha- 

 gus to receive the food, and thoroughly moisten it ; and the coeca 

 of' both are large. They have both a low degree of intelligence, 

 are easily domesticated, and are more prone to variation than 

 most other tribes. The head, too, Is in many of both orders, 

 adorned with appendages, horns, and crests ; and they afford more 

 wholesome food to man than any other orders. 



The liasores are found over the greater part of the world ; but 

 the finest and the most typical groups, containing, too, the greatest 

 variety of form, are from Asia. Africa possesses one group 

 peculiar to that region, and several others nearly related to Asiatic 

 forms. In America there are but few of the more typical groups, 

 but two of the most aberrant divisions occur there only. In 

 Australia they are sparingly represented by one very aberrant 

 group, and by a very few members of the typical division. Europe 

 and the more Northern portions of both Continents contain one 

 fine group. 



The nearest approach among Insessorial birds to the liasores 

 occurs perhaps in some of the American Cuckoos ; and that 

 remarkable bird, the Hoazin, Opisthocomus cristatus, was 

 placed by some naturalists among those birds, but is better 

 associated with Penelope, a genus of the aberrant Cracidee. 

 If that truly wonderful bird, the Lyre-bird of Australia, be 

 really an Insessorial type, however, it must be considered to 

 be a still closer link to the aberrant Megapodidce. See further 

 on page 494. On the other side, the Rasores may be said to join 



