

362 



ORNITHOLOGY, 



behind; eyes large, direcU-d forwards. 2. PASSERINE 

 (passeres). This is the largest class, and embraces 

 all birds which do not belong to the other five ; they 

 present a great resemblance in their structure, and 

 the genera are so closely allied that it is difficult to 

 distinguish between them. They may, however, be 

 separated into two great divisions ; 1. those with the 

 exterior toe united to the middle one, by one or two 

 joints only ; 2. exterior toe almost as long as the 

 middle one, and united to it as far as the last joint but 



one 3. CLIMBERS (scansores) ; birds whose exterior 



toe directs itself backwards like the great toe, afford- 

 ing a very solid support, by which some of them pro- 

 fit in clinging to, and climbing the trunks of trees. 

 4. GALLINACEOUS BIRDS (gallinacete). These have 

 a heavy gait, a short flight, a medium-sized beak, the 

 upper mandible vaulted, nostrils partly covered by a 

 cartilaginous scale, toes generally dentated at the 

 edges, with short membranes between those in front. 

 5. WADERS (gralla:) may be recognised by the 

 nudity of the lower part of their thighs, very fre- 

 quently the length of their legs, generally some little 

 web, at least, between the external toes. In flying, 

 they extend their legs behind them, contrary to the 

 habit of other birds, who draw them up close to the 

 body.. 6. WEB-FOOTED BIRDS (palmipedes) are 

 strongly characterized by their feet, formed for swim- 

 ming, that is, being affixed to the hinder part of their 

 body, with very short and compressed tarsi ; and 

 palmated between the toes. They are the only birds 

 in which the length of the neck exceeds that of the 

 legs. Each of these orders is subdivided into fami- 

 lies and genera, principally according to the forma- 

 tion of the beak. 



. While we have thought it proper to give a brief outline of 

 Cuvier's classification of Birds, we adopt the system of Tem- 

 ininck, with the addition of some new genera. This arrange- 

 ment is simple and distinct, and but slightly altered from that 

 of Linnaeus. He separates the class Aves or Birds into sixteen 

 orders, with the following characters : 



I. RAPAC ES. Birds of prey. 



II. OMNIVORES. Such as live on all kinds of food. 



III. INSECTIVOBES. Those which feed principally on insects. 



IV. GRANIVORES. Birds which feed on grain. 



V. ZVGODACTYLI. Those having two toes before, and two 



behind, pi. 72, f. 43. 

 VI. ANISODACTYLI. Those which have the middle toe joined 



to the exterior one at the base, pi. 72, f. 42. 

 VII. ALCYONES. Those having three toes before united, and 



one behind, pi. 72, f. 44. 



VIII. CHELIDONES. Having short legs, three toes before di- 

 vided, or only united at the base by a short membrane ; 

 the hinder toe often reversable, pi. 72, f. 46. 

 IX. CoLUMBjE. Those which have three toes before, entirely 



separated, and one behind. 



X. GALLING. Having three toes before, entirely separated; 

 the hinder toe united to the tarsus above the joint of 

 the other toes. 



XI. AI.F.CTORIDES Birds having a long and slender tarsus ; 



three toes before and one behind ; the hinder toe arti- 

 culated higher on the tarsus than those in front. 

 XII. CURSOBES. Birds with long^ legs, naked above the knee, 

 with two or three toes directed forwards, pi. 72, f, 45 

 and 49. 



XIII. GRALLATORES. Those birds which have long and slender 



legs, more or less naked above the knee ; three toes 

 before and one behind, the hinder one jointed on the 

 same level with the others, or more elevated. 



XIV. PINNATIPEDES. Birds with feet of medium length; the 



tarsi slender or compressed ; three toes before and one 

 behind, with a rudimentary membrane along the sides 

 of the toes ; the hinder one joined interiorly to the 

 tarsus, pi. 72, f. 62. 



X V. PALMIPEDES. Those which have short feet, more or less 

 drawn up to the abdomen; anterior toes partly or 

 wholly united by a membrane ; the posterior toe arti- 

 culated interiorly upon the tarsus, or totally wanting 

 in some genera, pi. 72, f. 47. 



X V I. Birds whose legs are retracted into the abdomen ; feet 

 with three toes divided in front ; the hinder toe short, 

 and articulated anteriorly, pi. 72, f. 48. 



TERMINOLOGY OF THE PARTS OF BIRDS. 

 Of the Skeleton. PI. 72, f. 39. 



a a. The vertebra of the neck, or cervical bones, 

 b. The metacarpal bones. 



c. The ph ilanges. 



d. The Ulna. 



e. The metacarpal hone of thumb, 

 ff. The ball of the Ulna. 



g. The radius. 



ii. The os humeri. 



1. The atlas. 



k. The ribs. 



11. The tibia, or thigh-bone, 

 m. The fibula, or leg-bom-. 



n. The ball of the tarsus. 



o. The tarsus. 

 p p. The phalanges of the toes. 



q. The phalanges of the heel . 



r. The sternum, or breast- bone. 

 ss. The clavicle, or collar-bone. 



t. The last true rib. 



u. The vertebrae of the back. 



v. The pelvis. 

 w. The vertebrae of the tail. 



x. The os coccygis. 



External Anatomy of Birdt. PI. 72, f. 41. 



fa, b, g. Upper mandible. 

 J l a to g. Culmen, or ridge of the bill. 

 5. l g. Frons, or forehead, 



h. Corona, or crown of the head, 

 i. Sinciput, or hinder part of the head. 

 o. Nucha or nape of the neck, 

 k. Supercilium, or eyebrows, 

 m. The ear covers, or auricles. 



d. Under mandible. 



e. Barba, or beard. 

 R. Notch. 



f. Mentum, or chin, 

 r. Gula, or gullet. 



s. Jugulum, or lower part of the throat, 

 p. Auchenium, or lower part of the neck. 

 .. ( V V. Interscapulum.or space bet ween the shoulder bl:u?ee. 

 5? 1 S S. Tergum, or middle of the back. 

 2.) I. Uropygium, or rump, 

 (, H. -The tail coverts. 

 r~ t. Pectus, the breast. 



W. Epigastrum, or stomach. 

 J A A. Abdomen. 

 g- ] Z Z. Venter, or belly. 



Y. Hypochondria, sides of the abdomen. 

 l_ B. Crissum, or vent. 



' D D. Tectrices minores, or lesser wing-coverts. 

 EE. Tectrices media, or middle wing-coverts. 

 Z Z. Scapulares, scapulars. 



F. Primaries, Primaries, or quills. 



G. Remiges, or rowers. 



X. Alula spuria, or bastard wing ; f. 40, bone of do. at rfc; 



feathers of do. e. 

 [_ V. Humeri, or shoulder of the wing, 

 ( K. Beatrices intermedia;, or middle tail feathers. 

 \ L. Rectrices lateralei, or side tail feathers. 

 M. Tibia, or thigh. 

 a. Tarsus, or shank. 



Digiti, or toes. 



P. P. Hallux, heel, or hind toe. 

 O O. Acrostarsium, or front of the leg. 



The Bones of the Wing and their Feathers. PI. 72, f. 40. 



a. This wing bone is termed the Brachium, or arm. 

 b the cubitus, c the carpus, d the spurious wing bone, e the 

 primaries, f the secondaries, g the tertials. 



Examples of Bitts. PI. 72, 



F. 53. A straight bill with an inflected point, genus Vultur. 

 F. 52. A straight bill, notched towards the point. Barita. 

 F. 50. A robust bill, serrated at the point of the upper mandible 



Opcethus. 



F. 54. A robust notched bill. Trogon. 

 F. 55. A straight cuneate bill. Corvus. 

 F. 56. A cylindrical bill, with reflected serri. Mergus. 

 F. 57. A recurved bill. Mycteria. 

 F. 62. An elongated, compressed bill, with a turgid lip. Sco- 



lopax. 



F. 59. A gibbous arcuated bill. Psittacus. 

 F. 60. A spatulate bill. 1'latalea. 

 F. 61. A groping bill. Anastomus. 

 F. 51. A straight, narrow bill, as in Quiscalus. 

 F. 58. A slender, curved, depressed bill. Phalaropus. 



ORDER I RAPACES. 



Bill short, strong ; upper mandible covered at its base by a 

 cere, compressed, and hooked towards its extremity ; nostrils, 

 open ; legs strong, muscular, generally short, and feathered to the 

 knees or feet, with three toes in front, and one behind, eithei 

 divided or united at the base by a membrane ; middle toe long- 

 est, and united with the exterior one at the base. 



Vultur fulvus. Griffon Vulture. PI. 67, f. .1. Bill short, 

 thick, deeper than broad, its base covered with a cere ; upper 

 mandible straight, hooked towards the point; under mandible 



