268 ELEMENTS OF ORNITHOLOGY. 
Suborder 2. Cuculi. 
Plantar tendons not free; spinal feather-tract not well 
defined on the neck and not forked on the back; oil-gland nude ; 
feet zygodactyle. 
The family of the first suborder is Musophagide, and contains 
all the Plantain-eaters *. Those of the second suborder are the 
Cuculide, or the family of true Cuckoos*, and the Centropide, 
or the large-headed Cuckoos, and the Phenicophainide, em- 
bracing the Bush-cuckoos, many of which are very beautiful. 
Then follow the Pheasant Cuckoes (Neomorphide), the Soft- 
plumed Cuckoos (Diplopteride), and the Anis (Crotophagide). 
The fifth order may be named Colwmbiformes, and contains 
the two suborders 1. Columbe and 2. Pterocletes, with more than 
370 species, the characters of which are as follows :— 
Order V. COLUMBIFORMES. 
Maxillo-palatines not united across the middle line ; a hallux 
present supplied by flewor hallucis;. palate schizognathous ; 
nasals schizorhinal; basipterygoid processes present ; sternum 
not perforated for coracoids ; oil-gland nude if present. 
Suborder 1. Columbe. 
Young born helpless and requiring to be fed for many days, 
but not passing through a downy stage ; a special feather-tract 
on a considerable part of the neck, well defined by bare tracts 
and not split by a spinal bare tract ; nostrils close to margin of 
mandible and covered with a soft cuticle, forming a large swell- 
ing; tarsus covered with large transverse scales in front ; cxeca 
present or absent; mostly two notches on either side of 
sternum, but the inner pair are sometimes replaced by fora- 
mina and sometimes absent. 
Suborder 2. Pterocletes. 
Young born covered with down and able to run ina few 
es 18) 22P.. 80. 
