CHAPTER II. 
PASSERINE Birps. 
THE Crows, BABBLERS, AND BULBULS. 
More than half of the known species of birds belong 
to the great 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 
being the biggest, while some are almost the smallest of 
birds. The Sparrow and Mynah represent fair average 
sizes of Passerine birds. . 
They can always be distinguished by their feet; the 
foot of a Sparrow or Crow will serve asa model for all. 
The shank is slight, and covered behind with long entire ~ 
plates, 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 behind, 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 the foot as a 
whole large or small as compared with the bird’s body, 
but the style of scaling and proportion of the toes is al- 
ways unmistakeable. The shape, and the wings, tail, 
and beak vary a great deal in Passerine birds; but they , 
always have large heads in proportion to their size. ‘ 
