TODUS. 



163 



Species of 

 TODUS. 



Todus viridis.. 



megacepkalus.... 



platycircus 



Specific Distinctions of Primary 

 Structure. Types. 



Toes very syndactylel 



or. prehensile ; bill 1 



long, notch nearly ob- J- INSESSORBS. 



solete ; claws broad, | 



obtuse J 



Bill shorter, the tip 1 



more hooked ; claws > RAPTORBS. 



slender, acute 3 



Head large ; bill, feet, ~) 



and tail shorter than > NATATORBS. 



usual 3 



!Legs very long; tail'J 

 fully developed, tlief R 

 feathers ratherbroad, f K 

 the tips pointed J 



Thus, if we discriminated these birds as species^ 

 not by their colour, but by the different shades or 

 n^odmcations of their structure, we might almost 

 use the very words which would at the same time 

 concisely express the leading distinctions ol tne 

 primary types of birds. The Todus viridis has the 

 most perfect shaped foot, merely for grasping, in 

 this little group ; and the prehensile power of these 

 members constitutes the chief distinction of the 

 order Insessores among birds, and Quadrumana 

 among quadrupeds. The acute claws, and the 

 more sudden deflection of the tip of the bill in 

 Melanocephalus, and two or three others, are also 

 characteristic of the falcons and the shrikes, the 

 Raptores and the Dentirostres. The great size of 

 the head, coupled with unusual brevity in the tail 



