(* #23, }) 
a 
Bill, upper mandible thickest, notched near the 
tip and toothed. These birds feed chiefly on 
insects and fruit. 
(5) Conirostres—Bill, tip of which entire, generally both mandibles 
hard and thick ; typically cone shaped. Feed on 
hard grains ete. 
(4) Dentirostres 
Turning to the list we find that the F'sstrostres commence the 
natural system, for reasons we need hardly enter into. These are 
represented by the following families found in India ;— 
TRIBE FISSTROSTRES., 
AT RUNDINIDAL’ *’... .... Swallows and Swifts. 
IL. CAPRIMULGIDA: <.. ... Goat-suckers. 
Ill. TROGONIDA ce ... Trogons. 
TV. MEROPIDA: eid .... Bee-eaters. 
V. CORACIADA are .... Rollers. 
VI. HALCYONIDA: ae ... Kingfishers. 
VII. BUCEROTIDA ae .... Hornbills. 
Vill. KURYLAIMIDA ... ... Broadbills. 
I. Famity HIRUNDINIDE (Swallows and Swifts) 
Associating these two birds under one family, presents perhaps 
fewer difficulties when examining birds in their wild state than 
otherwise (as museum specimens), when we may have forseen a few 
apparent disabilities. Without comparing their disagreements we 
will merely examine the peculiarities, as these two sub-families pre- 
sent themselves. 
Sup-FAMILY HIRUNDINIDA, (Swallows and Martins) 
These birds have short, triangular shaped bills, considerably de- 
pressed, tip pointed ; wings long and pointed ; tail usually forked. 
Soft plumage of these birds aid their silent and rapid movements 
on the wing, circling at every turn in their hunt after insects usually 
off the ground. Their flight is easy and graceful. Both swallows 
and martins construct their nests of mud, which they work up into 
pellets, in any patch of puddle, near by, so much the better, the nest 
is generally built in the angle of a wall and roof ; an exposed _ place, 
at a fair height from the ground. A look at the list will show the 
number of swallows and martins which visit the station, at certain 
seasons of the year, for a longer or shorter stay. Some merely pass 
over on their migratory expeditions and remain a day or two at 
the outset to break journey and sample some of the forms of insect 
