GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 115 



generally made upon the ground, and the young run 

 immediately when hatched. On the contraiy, the 

 organs fitted for flight are less powerfully developed, 

 the wings are short and rounded, the body remarka- 

 bly heavy, and of course requiring great strength to 

 raise it, and the tail and its accessories are often so 

 unwieldy, as to prove a complete incumbrance in 

 any flight extending beyond a few yards. The in- 

 ternal structure is complicated, and appears to bear 

 a strong analogy with the Ruminantia. 



By modern ornithologists this order has been di- 

 vided into five great families Pavonidce, Cracida, 

 Columbidce, Tetraonidce, and Struthionidce. The 

 characters which we have given above are of course 

 taken from the typical families of the order. The 

 pigeons, with which we leave the incessorial birds, in 

 many of their groups, possess extensive powers of 

 flight and grasping, perform migrations on the wing, 

 and live much upon trees. Their food, however, is 

 almost entirely taken upon the ground, and we are 

 beautifully led to the principal family of the true gal- 

 linaceous birds, by means of the Great Crowned, Ni- 

 cobar, and Carunculated Pigeons. The Tetraonidse 

 or Grouse also in many of their members exhibit 

 pointed and lengthened wings, and a flight of great 

 strength. They however chiefly live upon the ground, 

 feed and breed upon it. The Cracidse, again, where 

 the form and habits approach much nearer the type, 

 where the toes are nearly upon a plane, and that 

 behind is very short, breed on trees, while the 



