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CHAPTER VI. 
SCANSORES OR CLIMBERS, 
PEOPLE will be strangely mistaken if they imagine that all the birds 
which rank in this order possess the faculty of climbing. In reality 
it is only the privilege of some, and does not belong exclusively even 
to them, for it is found in some of the Passerines. The essential 
characteristic of the climbers lies in this organic disposition—that 
the external toe, instead of being placed in front, like that in other 
birds, is placed behind, by the side of the thumb. For this reason 
the denomination of climbers has been substituted by that of 
Zygodactyles, which is used by Temminck, Vieillot, and others, and 
which has the advantage of perfectly expressing the distinctive 
characteristic of the order, for this word signifies fingers disposed 
in pairs. ‘Thanks to the formation of their feet, the climbers can 
clasp the branches of trees strongly ; thus they are almost continually 
perched. ‘Their flight is medium, being neither so powerful as that 
of the Raptores nor so light as that of the Passerines. These birds 
feed upon fruits or insects, according to the strength of their beaks. 
They chiefly inhabit warm countries, and their colours are generally 
brilliant. Lastly, they are all monogamists, with the exception of 
the Cuckoo. ‘This order is one of the least numerous of the class 
of Birds. It comprehends but few families, amongst which we will 
mention the most familiar, such as Parrots, Toucans, Cuckoos, 
Woodpeckers, Jacamars, &c. 
PARROTS. 
Parrots have large, strong, and round beaks ; the upper mandible 
strongly hooked and sharp at the extremity, extending beyond the 
lower, which is rather deeply hollowed. The tongue, which is thick, 
fleshy, and movable, is terminated by a cluster of sinewy papille, or 
by a cartilaginous gland. ‘The tarsi are very short, and the feet 
perfected to such a degree that they really become hands, able to 
seize, hold, and retain small objects. Their toes are supplied with 
