INSESSORES. 327 



The feet in the Cone-billed Birds are, upon the whole, formed 

 more for perching than for walking, though many birds of this 

 division, walk habitually upon the ground. 



Seeds and grain are the principal food of these, the &quot;Hard- 

 billed &quot; Birds ; and for opening the different capsules, and seed 

 vessels, as well as for crushing hard seeds themselves, their stout 

 and horny beaks are peculiarly fitted. Some of these birds, 

 however, join insects to vegetable food ; and a part of them are 

 nearly or quite omnivorous. As the form of the beak varies from 

 that of a short and broad cone, so does the appetite proportiona- 

 bly vary from an exclusive seed diet. The Cone-billed Birds, 

 particularly the FINCHES, seem to prefer the temperate and 

 colder to the warmer regions; but they are represented in all the 

 countries of the globe. The families of this tribe are the follow 

 ing, viz: (1.) Corvida, or Crows; (2.) Sturnida^ or Starlings; 

 (3.) FringillidO) or Finches; (4.) Loxiada, or Cross-bills; (5.) 

 Bucerotidce, or Horn-bills; (6.) Musophagidce, or Plantain 

 Eaters. 



FIRST FAMILY. THE CROWS. 

 Corvidce, (Lat. corvus, a raven.) 



THE CROWS are among the largest of the Passerine, or Perch- 

 ing Birds, They are widely spread, but yet comparatively few 

 in number. Their beak is powerful, more or less compressed at 

 the sides, conical, but long, having the upper mandible usually 

 arched, the gape nearly straight, and the nostrils concealed by 

 stiff bristles, pointing forwards. The plumage is dark and som 

 bre, often black,*more or less glossed, and sometimes varied with 

 gray or white. To this sombre coloration, the Jays, however, 

 are an exception, being usually arrayed in the richest azure and 

 purple. They are also more exclusively arboreal than others of 

 the family which walk a great deal on the ground. 



The CorvidcB are birds of firm and compact structure ; their 

 wings are long, pointed and strong ; their feet and claws robust. 

 Their disposition is bold and daring ; they are very sagacious; 

 easily tamed, and rendered familiar. Most of them have the 

 faculty of imitating with much accuracy the sounds which they 

 hear, and even words of human language. They show a strange 

 propensity for thieving, and for hiding substances that can be of 

 no use to them whatever, particularly if they display metallic or 

 polished surfaces, or brilliant colors. They may be ranked as 

 omnivorous ; insects and their larvae, grain, fruits, bread, flesh, 



