I 54 VERTEBRATES I BIRDS. 



North America, is thirteen inches long, the wing ovei six 

 and a half inches, the shafts and under surfaces of the 

 wing and tail feathers orange-red, a red patch on each 

 side of the cheek, throat and stripe beneath the eye 

 bluish ash, and the back glossed with purplish brown. 

 The female has no red on the cheek. 



C. hybridus, Baird, is the name given to woodpeckers 

 from the Upper Missouri, which combine characteristics 

 common to both the preceding species. 



SUB-SECTION III. 



THE ORDER OF INSESSORES, OR PERCHERS. 



THE Order of Insessores embraces far more species 

 than any other in the whole class of birds, and those 

 which in many cases seem widely different from one 

 another ; but they agree in many important respects, 

 especially in their feet, which have three toes directed 

 forward and one behind, the latter being on the same 

 level with the others. This Order naturally divides into 

 three groups, which may be called Sub-Orders,- Stri- 

 sores, Clamatores, and Oscines. 



The Sub-Order of Strisores comprises birds which 

 have the hind toe versatile, or capable of being turned 

 more or less laterally forward, thus making the bird 

 appear to have four toes in front. They have ten pri- 

 maries, and the tail feathers are never more than ten. 

 The Strisores comprise three families, Trochilidae or 

 Humming-Bird Family, Cypselidae or Swift Family, Ca- 

 primulgidse or Goat-sucker Family. 



TROCHILID/E, OR HUMMING-BIRD FAMILY. This Fam- 

 ily comprises birds of the smallest size, and of the most 

 gorgeous plumage to be found in the feathered race. 

 The beauty and splendor of their colors are beyond 

 description. One might as well attempt to describe the 



