ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENTS. vii 



Page 



WINGS. Relative sizes of the bones Articulation Pecu- 

 liarities of the wing, and of the posterior portion of the 

 spine ..... 101103 



FEET. Strength Action Danger of dropping from a height 

 with the joints stiff Remarkable instances of adaptation 

 in the falcon .... 103106 



STERNUM Form of the sternum Of the body Birds and 

 ships Enumeration of the principal sternal muscles- 

 Gradual changes from the type of the falcon . 106110 



CHAPTER V. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



CUVIER'S ARRANGEMENT. Reasons for preferring it Im- 

 perfections of all arrangements of birds . 111,112 



ACCIPITRES. Characters of the order Diurnal birds of prey 

 Nocturnal ones . . . . 112, 113 



PASSKRES. Name Sub-divisions Dentirostres] Fissiros- 

 tres Conirostres Omnivora and granivora Difficulties 

 attending this order Tenuirostres Syndactyli Alcyoni- 

 dae ..... 113124 



Sc ANSORE s Character of their feet Zygodactyli, or graspers 

 True climbers Difficulties in this order . 121128 



GALLING. Character Style of walking Flight Differ- 

 ences between pigeons and gallinae Flesh of the gallinse 

 Excellent adaptations of their wings Condition of their 

 young Interferences of races . . 128 !43 



ECHASSIERS. Difficulty in finding an appropriate name 

 Cursores Grallidae Families Short wings Pressiros- 

 tres Cultrirostres Lon girostres Macrodactyles Rela- 

 tions of the order .... 143 149 



PALMIPEDES. Great varieties in this order Divers Long- 

 winged birds Entire-webbed birds Flatbills . ISO 154 



CHAPTER VI. 



BILLS, AS INDICATING HABITS. 



BILL AND BEAK. Their general characters and distinctions 

 General characters of the tomia Forms and adaptations 

 of bills General remarks . . . 155 166 



BEAKS OF ACCIPITRES. Falcon's beak Its form and pro- 

 pertiesMode of action Gradations in the form Falcons 

 Hawks Eagles Vultures Owls . 166173 



