CHAPTER II. 



Passerine Birds. 

 The Crows, Babblers, and Bulbuls. 



More than half of the known species of birds belong 

 to the liTeat Passerine order, so called from the Latin 

 name of its most prominent member, Passer, the Spar- 

 row. Birds of this order are usually small, the Raven 

 beini: tlie biggest, while some are almost the smallest of 

 l)irds. Tlie Sparrow and 3lynah represent fair average 

 sizes of Passerine birds. 



They can always be distinguished by their feet : the 

 foot of a Sparrow or Crow will serve as a model for all. 

 The shank is slight, and covered behind with long entire 

 l)lates, and before with a single row of large broad scales, 

 or even with one continuous horny plate ; there are three 

 toes before, unconnected by any web or other junction 

 and one l)ehind, which, taking it with its claw, is as big 

 as or bigger than any of the rest. 



The shank may be long or short, and tlie foot as a 

 wholr large or small us compared with the bird's body, 

 but the style of scalhig and proportion of the toes is always 

 unmistakeable. The shape, and the wings, tail, aiul 

 beak vary a great deal in Passerine birds ; but they always 

 have large heads in proi)ortion to their size. 



