XX INTRODUCTION. 



Family PICID.F:. 

 Subfamily lYNGiX.E. 

 Iy.nx, Lmna-ifs.— Bill shorter than the head, hard, straight, nearly conical, 

 sharp at the tip. Nostrils basal, linear, partly closed by a membrane. 

 Tongue capable of protrusion, the tip horny and smooth. Wings moderate ; 

 the first primary minute, the third or fourth longest. Tail rather rounded, 

 of ten rectrices, with straight shafts and webs of ordinary character. Tarsi 

 strong, slightly feathered in front above ; toes, two before and two behind, 

 the fourth — which is turned backwards — about as long as the third ; claws 

 much hooked, grooved and very sharp (p. 261). 



Subfamily Picix.^i. 

 Gecinus, F. Boie. — Bill about as long as the head, hard, broad at the base, com- 

 pressed at the tip ; upper mandible slightly arched, ending abruptly, with a 

 shallow groove on each side running parallel to and near the culmen, and 

 longer than the lower mandible, which is pointed, and has the gonys nearer 

 the tip than the base and the tomia rounded. Nostrils basal, oval, covered 

 with hair-like feathers directed forwards. Tongue capable of great protru- 

 sion, beset at the tip with homy barbs. Wings moderate ; the first primary 

 very short, the fourth longest, but the fifth nearly equal to it. Tail of twelve 

 graduated rectrices ; the outer pair very short and overlying the next which, 

 with the rest, are pointed and have stiff", decurved shafts, with hard webs. 

 Tarsi strong, slightly feathered in front above ; toes, two before and two 

 behind, the fourth — which is turned backwards — equal to the third ; claws 

 strongly hooked, grooved and very sharp. Prevailing colour of the plumage 

 greenish (p. 263). 



Dendrocopus, K. L. Koch. — Bill pyramidal, laterally bevelled at the tip. 

 The fourth toe much longer than the third.' Otherwise much as in preced- 

 ing genus. Prevailing colours black and white, or black and red (p. 265). 



Family ALCEDINID.-E. 

 Alcedo, Linniniis. — Bill long, hard, straight, quadrangular and acute. Nostrils 

 basal, oblique, nearly closed by a bare membrane. Wings short and rounded, 

 of ten primaries ; the second or third the longest, but the first nearly 

 equal to them and longer than the fourth. Tail very short, of twelve 

 rectrices. Tibire bare below ; tarsi short ; toes, three before, one behind, the 

 middle united to the outer toe as far as the second joint, and to the inner as 

 far as the first joint ; hind toe not much shorter than the inner (p. 269). 



Family CORACIID.E. 

 CORACIAS, Linncnis. — Bill stout, hard, compressed, with cutting edges slightly 

 inflected ; upper mandible decurved at the tip ; gape wide. Nostrils lateral, 

 linear and oblique, partly hidden by a plumose membrane. Lores beset in 

 front by a row of stift' bristles. Post-ocular space bare. Wings long, of ten 

 primaries ; the first a little shorter than the second or third — which are the 

 longest — but rather longer than the fourth. Tail of twelve feathers, rather 

 long. Tarsi short, broadly scutellated in front ; toes free, three before, one 

 behind ; claws stout (p. 271). 



Family MEROPID.E. 

 Merops, Linnatis. — Bill rather long, hard, slightly decurved, and tapering 

 to a point, the culmen elevated. Nostrils basal, lateral, oval, covered by 



