162 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



as separate orders ; but they all agree in their adaptation 

 to climbing, and therefore they are classed together in 

 the order Scansores. 



265. The Parrots are characterized by their short, hard, 

 arched beaks, and their thick fleshy tongues. They are 

 natives of the tropical and warmer temperate regions in 

 both hemispheres. They are remarkable for their edu- 

 cability and their power of imitation in the use of the 

 voice. They have greater prehensile power than any 

 other birds, using the beak as well as the feet in grasp- 

 ing. On account of this power, their intelligence, and 

 their arboreal habits, we may consider the Parrot tribe 

 as holding a situation among birds like that which the 

 Monkey tribe holds among the Mammalia. 



266. The Toucans, of which one species is represented 

 in Fig. 133, are all natives of South America. Their enor- 

 mous bills are made light in the same way as those of the 

 Horn-bills ( 244), by being of a honeycomb structure 



Fig. 133 Toucan. 



