A SYNOPSIS OF THE ORDERS 



I._AC< IIMTKKS.— Birds of Prey. Bill short, strong, stout a1 the 



. the cnlmen strongly curved. Feet strong, armed with 



powerful talons ; talons capable of being bent under the 



feet, the inner one being stronger than the others and more 



carved ... ... ... •• ••• ••■ * 



II PASSERES. Perching Birds proper. Palate segithognathoua. 

 v*om< r is broadened and blunt or truncated at the anterior 

 end. Maxillo-palatines widely aeparated ... ... 7 



III. — 1* I ( ' A 1 : 1 . 1 :. This is an order opposed to the Passeres, pri- 

 marily on account of the relatively Bmaller and weaker feet 

 in the Australian forms (example, Podargus). It i- pro- 

 visional ... ... .. ... ... ... 54 



IV PSITTACI. Feel permanently zygodactyl by reversion of the 

 fourth toe, covered with plates. Bill short and very stout, 



mgly hooked or cpignathoiis, and furnished with a cere Co 



I 'I. I ' M \\. E Pigeons. Rostrum swollen at the tip, convex; 



i8&] portion has a soft skin, in which lie the nostrils, 



with a valve over them. Tarsi covered fore and rear with 



hexagonal scales, Palate Bchizognathous. Nostrils Bchizo- 



rhinal ... ... ... ... ... ... G8 



\ ! < . A LI. I N'.K. — Bill short and stout, the cnlmen arched and over 



hanging the mandible, Muxillo-palatines not coalesced ... 73 



\||. BEMIP0DI1 Button Quails, opposed to True Quails. Feet 

 with thre ■ pt Pedionomus, which has the hallux). 



Uo'palatines not coalesced with one another ... ... 74 



\ III 111. l< \kl.K. Kails. The characters are oateologioal (Cata- 



I I Bii pp. 143 and ill, Lydekker) ... ... 76 



1 RIDES. Tine Cane (Native Companion) and I 



tard, in Australia. The angle of the mandible is always 

 truncated. Tin hind toe i raited above the Level of theothei 



1 M' -it. ted] ... ... 78 



\. LIMICOL I lalat. "us. Primaries eleven, fifth 



:, i ft \t, th< i ontom feathers 



70 



XI QAV] onnected by weba Primaries, 



t« d minute and cono aled. Eted i 



In/oihinal ... 87 



