240 THE REASON WHY: 



" His plumes were inky black, of vast extent ; 

 His hooky claws on spoil and ravine bent." Ilooiat. 



Sub-order III. Conirostres. 



726. Why it the sub-order conirostres so termed? 



From conus, a cone, and rostrum, a beaJc, importing that birds 

 of this sub-order have a bill more or less conical, in shape. 



727. The Conirostres are miscellaneous feeders ; but they differ s much in their 

 character and habits, that no one species can be selected as properly descriptive of 

 the whole tribe. The texture of their bills is firm, and capable of bruising hard 

 substances such as seeds with tough coats ; and also for digging or boring into 

 the ground in quest of earth-insects, or of albuminous roots. 



728. Why are the heads of birds of this sub-order large in 

 proportion to the size of their bodies ? 



Because the muscles which move the bill are more powerful, and 

 consequently larger, than in the case of birds which feed exclusively 

 upon insects. 



729. Many of the conirostres are voracious, and somewhat gross in their feeding. 

 They eat all manner of carrion and garbage, thus performing a highly useful service 

 to man ; they have no great objection to kill any animal which they can master, 

 especially if they find it in a sick or weakly condition. Some of them occasionally 

 hawk after small birds on the wing, but it is not a general habit with them : they 

 proceed by stealthiness and craft rather than by daring, and in general attack only 

 that which they can take at a disadvantage. They are also plunderers of the nests 

 of other birds. 



730. How is the bill of the raven characterised ? 



The structure of its bill is intermediate between those of the 

 vultures, which feed chiefly upon carrion, and the woodpeckers and 

 analogous species, which obtain their food by digging or thrusting 

 into crevices in the barks of trees and fissures of rocks. It is 

 inlaying and straight, and can inflict a severe wound by thrusting ; 

 it is slightly hooked at the tip, so that it can keep a firm hold, 

 while the bird rips and tears by the motions of the neck ; and as 

 it is long, the snap of the point is very sharp, from the rapicHty of 

 the motion. 



