CONTENTS 







CHAPTER I 



THEIR ORIGIN AND SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS 



PAGES 



Diagnosis of a bird Descent of birds Archaeopteryx 

 Cretaceous Ornitholites Upper Eocene Orni- 

 tholites Miocene Ornitholites Pliocene Orni- 

 tholites Tertiary gigantic birds New Zealand 

 Moas Madagascar yEpyornithes Miocene tropi- 

 cal genera in Europe The feathers of birds 

 Contour feathers Down-plumes Powder-downs 

 Filoplumes Colour of feathers Abnormal 

 colouration Arrangement and pattern of colour 

 Differences in colour due to age, sex, and season 

 Colour and environment Moulting The avine 

 skeleton The anterior and posterior limbs The 

 head or skull Internal organs Muscular, ner- 

 vous, and digestive systems Respiratory organs 

 The young of birds 1-53 



CHAPTER II 



THE PRINCIPAL BIRD GROUPS 



The two Primary Divisions The Carinatae and 

 Ratitas Moas and Rocs Rheas, Cassowaries, 

 and Emus Kiwis and Ostriches The Crypturi 

 or Tinamous The Impennes or Penguins The 

 Colymbiformes or Divers and Grebes The 



