THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 269 
hours ; no lateral bare tracts on neck ; two notches on each side 
of hinder margin of sternum ; oil-gland present ; no powder- 
down patches ; no swollen soft cuticle covering nostrils ; basi- 
pterygoids rather backwards ; czeca present. 
The first suborder includes the very large family of Doves 
and Pigeons ! (Columbide), and the family which contains only 
the tooth-billed Pigeon, and is called Didunculide. 
The second suborder has a single small family which consists 
of the Sand-grouse *, and is named Pteroclide. 
The sixth order, with nearly 500 species, is Psittacz, and is not 
divided into suborders. Itscharacters may be thus expressed :— 
Order VI. PSITTACI. 
Palate desmognathous ; maxilla exceptionally moveable ; basi- 
pterygoid processes absent ; hallux always present and supplied 
by the flewor hallucis; young born helpless and nearly naked ; 
feet zygodactyle ; dorsal vertebrie opisthoccelous ; spinal feather- 
tract well defined on the neck and forked on the upper back ; 
plantar tendons not free; oil-gland tufted or absent; tarso- 
metatarsus very short compared with the length of the tibia. 
There are six different families belonging to this order. 
The first of these, Nestoride, contains the singular Kea Parrot * 
and all the Nestors. The second family is named Loriide, and 
is that of the Brush-tongued Parrots and Lories. The third 
family, Cyclopsittacide, contains but two genera. The fourth, 
Cacatuide, is that of the Cockatoos. The bulk of the order is 
contained in the fifth family, Psittactde, in which are the 
Macaws, the true Parrot (which gives its name to the family), 
the Love-bird, Agapornis, and the Rose-ringed Parrakeet 
(Palwornis torquatus)—the only Parrot supposed to have been 
known to the ancients. The last family, Stringopide, contains 
only the curious Owl-like Parrot *. 
The seventh order, of more than 500 species, is that of the 
Birds of Prey, Raptores, and consists of the suborders 1. Fal- 
cones, 2. Serpentari, 3. Cathartes, and 4. Striges. 
PPS: de 14, ee ba: Paz 
