EXTERIOR OF A BIRD. 13 
volume easily and successfully. Here, however, I will insert a tabular illus- 
tration of the foregoing remarks :— 
: Class AVES : — Birds. 
(Sub-class * Jnsessores : — Perching Birds.) 
Order Passeres : — Passerine Perchers. 
‘(Sub-order Oscines : — Singing Passerines. ) 
Family + Turpin : — Thrushes. 
(Sub-family ¢ Mimine : — Mocking Thrushes. ) 
Genus ¢t Mimus :— Mockers. 
-(Sub-genus ¢ Mimus: — Typical Mockers. ) 
Species | potyeLorrus : — Many-tongued. 
(Variety caudatus : — Long-tailed.) 
SECT. III. Derrinirion anp BRIEF DeEscrIPTION OF THE EXTERIOR OF 
5 A Birp. — Parts AND Orcans— I. Tur Bopy: HEAD, NECK AND BODY 
proper. —IJ. Tor MEMBERS: BILL, WINGS, TAIL, FEET. 
°§ 28. Tae Contour of a bird with the feathers on, is spindle-shaped, or 
JSusiform, tapering at both ends; it represents two cones, joined base to base 
at the middle, or greatest girth of body, tapering in front to the tip of the 
bill, behind to the end of the tail. Obvious design: easiest cleavage of air 
in front, and lessening of drag or wash behind. But this shape is largely 
produced by the lay of the plumage; a 
Gee § 29. Naxep Birp presents several prominences and depressions ; this ir- 
s regular contour is reducible, in general terms, to two double cones. The 
head tapers to a point in front, at the tip of the bill; and nearly to a point 
behind, towards the middle of the neck, in consequence of the swelling mus- 
cles by which it is slung on the neck; from the middle of the somewhat 
-__ contracted or hour-glass shaped neck, this last enlarges toward the body, by 
+) deers the swelling of the muscles by which it is slung to the body ; the body then 
; tapers to the tail. The 
§ 30. Exrerror or a Brrp is divided into seven parts: 1, head (caput), 
2, neck (collum), 3, body (truncus), 4, bill (rostrum), 5, wings (ale), 6, 
. tail (cauda), 7, feet (pedes): 1, 2, 3, are collectively called “ body,” in dis- 
tinction to 4, 5, 6, 7, which are members. The 
tomacoy: x 
ed 
} * Intermediate groups are in italics and parentheses. 
¢ 5 } Families now always end in -id@, and sub-families in -ine, a very conyenient distinction, since we thus 
always know the rank designated by words so ending. 
{A bird’s scientific name now INVARIABLY consists of two words —the genus and the species, the former 
first, the latter last: thus, Mimws polyglottus ; but we may, if we wish, interpolate the sub-genus in parenthe- 
>. ses, and affix the variety with sign var.: thus, Mimus (Mimus) polyglottus, var. caudatus. Generic names 
are always written with a capital; specific names, according to the rules of the British Association, now gen- 
erally followed, should never be, though it is customary to so write those that are derived from the names 
of persons and places, as well as all substantive appellations. 
