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BOMBYCILLA. 



to has been placed in, and is typical of a sub- 

 family the Bonibycillince, or, as Mr Swainson terms 

 them, the " Swallow Chatterers," from their 

 lengthened wing, very wide gape, and imperfect 

 or weak feet. The genus Bombycilla consists of 

 only three known species, one exclusively inha- 

 biting North America, another- found hitherto 

 only in Japan, while the third, found in Northern 

 Asia and Europe, has been also lately discovered 

 in North America. They possess a powerful 

 flight, are arboreal in their habits, and feed on 

 fruits or berries. 



BOM B YCI LL A, Brisson. Generic character. 

 Bill short, strong, dilated at the base, the 

 gape very wide ; nostrils oval, covered at 

 the base with feathers ; wings long, first 

 quill longest, afterwards regularly graduat- 

 ing; tarsi short, plumed slightly below the 

 knees ; lateral toes equal ; tail short, and 

 nearly even. 



Note. Secondary quills and tail have their 

 tips sometimes ornamented by a coloured 

 flattening of the shaft. The general plumage 

 is soft and silky. 



