256 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



different in different individuals. Thus, in the horse, 

 where the tail is more developed than in any other 

 quadruped, it may be looked on as more ornamental 

 than essential : at least, we know it is not con- 

 nected so intimately with the habits of the animal, 

 that its loss leads to the impossibility of supporting 

 life. But among the long-tailed monkeys of 

 America, this result would inevitably follow ; their 

 tail is prehensile, and, by being employed as a fifth 

 hand, in climbing trees, is absolutely essential to 

 them in procuring the fruits upon which they live. 

 We have examples precisely analogous to these, in 

 the class of birds. The glory of the peacock is its 

 tail ; it is, indeed, a splendid ornament, but it is 

 an ornament alone. And we know, from the habits 

 of these birds, not only in a state of captivity, but 

 in their native regions, that they can search upon 

 the ground for their usual food just as well without 

 their tail as with it : but with the parrots, and more 

 especially the woodpeckers, the case is different; 

 here, also, the tail is highly developed, but in a very 

 different way. In the parrots, it performs the double 

 office of aiding flight, and the power of climbing. 

 Those who have witnessed the lofty and arrowy 

 course of the splendid mackaws of the New World, 

 know that this celerity of motion would be utterly 

 lost if the tail were of any other structure ; while 

 every one who has watched a parakeet, even in the 

 confinement of a cage, may have remarked how 

 much this member contributes to facilitate the habit 

 of climbing possessed by these elegant creatures. 

 Still, however, the utility is only seen at its maximum 

 in the most typical climbers, or the family of wood- 



