XVI 
THE SPARROW AND FINCH FAMILY 
(Pringillide) * 
Tuts is the largest bird family, more than five 
hundred species, and they are found nearly all 
over the world. It is divided into sparrows, 
finches, grosbeaks, and crossbills. All of them 
are smaller than a robin, and have short, high 
beaks, with the back corners turned down. The 
beaks show that they are seed eaters, though all 
of them eat insects too. 
An interesting thing about birds who eat 
seeds 1s the grinding machine they have inside 
to break up the hard seeds. For of course, hav- 
ing no teeth, they are obliged to swallow them 
nearly whole. What I have called a machine is 
the gizzard, and you have seen it on the table 
from achicken. It is well fitted to grind up the 
food, and birds often swallow small stones to 
help in the work. 
The first group of this family, the sparrows, 
1 See Appendix, 14. 
