66 MEMOIR OF 



ground, in that they have whiskers, denticulated 

 ears, &c. Their mouth is deformed on account of 

 its great size, being as large and even larger than 

 the head; their beak is small and curved, the 

 tongue straight and peculiar ; the whiskers are long 

 and hard, the nostrils pipe-shaped; the eye very 

 large, and across it you see the colour of the open 

 mouth ; the neck is short, and as if swollen, owing 

 to the quantity of feathers which surround it ; the 

 legs are short, the feet roundish, strong, and clothed 

 with feathers anteriorly ; the three front claws are 

 united near their origin by a membrane, the remain- 

 ing one is at the side ; an indented margin, saw- 

 like, runs along the internal side of the middle claw. 

 They have little flesh in comparison with their bulk , 

 the stretch from the tip of one wing to that of ano- 

 ther, and the tail, are long; finally, the wing is 

 rather straight, and of a long square shape. 



" Much light dazzles them ; and during the day 

 they do not take wing, unless approached very 

 near, when they fly a short space, low and hori- 

 zontally, and fall down suddenly, rolling up their 

 wings like a ball ; it is then difficult to discover 

 them, because their plumage resembles the ground, 

 w r here they rest, close to it, without standing, and 

 as if they were glued to it. It is only during twi- 

 light and full moon they seek their food, flying low 

 and with great ease, frequently changing their 

 direction to catch insects. Some species rest only 

 on the ground, others on trees, and some in both 

 ways, One species climbs trees vertically, like the 



