INTKODrrTIoX. 



XXV 



PirHl(F. 



Iliirlilv scansorial: tail ol'twdv.' riLM<l ariimiiiato loathors, wlicn-of tho 

 outer pair aic >\u>n ami >|ttiri(>us. »-i)nct'aK'<l i't'twi'di liases <»1 next two 

 l)airs. IJill st<.nt. straiu'lit. with tlu- tip tnin.-ate or a<-nte, not (lecurvfMl 

 — an rlVnient ciiiscl for liauinicrinL:- and I'orinir wooil. Toniruo vonui- 

 fonn. cxIcns'.U'.' and l»arl'fil. Salivary -lands iarui': liyoidean apparatus 

 pccnliar. Nasal tufts usually pn'soni. Arboreal. (Woodpeekers.) . 

 I-V'.'t ui'itlier s\!ida<tyle nor /yuodaetyle. 



Feet seniipalniate. (.f n.>rnial ratio of plialaniros. Anterior toes eon- 

 jiertt'd at l-asr h\- inovaM*' wehl'inir. Hind toe very >niail. elevatt-d, 

 semilateral. Middle toe pnnlnerd, its larL'-<' claw pectinate. IJill fis>i- 

 rostral. with very small, triantrnlar. depressed lu>rny part and innnense 

 rii'tns, n-aehin.ir below the eyes, furnished with bristles, lialher larire. 

 riumaLre s»»ft and lax. mueh vari.'irated ..... ('(fjnu'nuihjiihv. 



Feet seareelv or not seniii»ahnate. of frecpiently abnormal ratio of j»ha- 

 lam:«'s (middle or outer toe. or both, with fewer joints than usual anionir 

 bir<ls). Hallux very small, elevated, frequently lateral (»r versatile. 

 Middle toe not produeed nor its elM iiedinate. Bill niueh as in the 

 last, but rictus inibristled. Small. Pluiuage compact, of few simple 

 subdued colors Ci/pseliihc. 



Family of PSITTACI. 



To characters of Psi'ffaci add: Ore feathered, coneealimr the nostrils. Fi-et 

 L'ranular. rm^c-e. Wind's pointed. Tail euiieate, Plumatre coarse and dry. 

 Head teaihered. < 'olors green, with yellow ami blue . . , . Psittackhf.- 



AxALVsi? OF Families of RAFTORES. 



Feet liiL:Iiiy raptorial, with larire. stronjj:, sharp, curved, contractile claw.«;, 

 adapted for irrasitinu'. Ilalhix perfectly incumbent, lenirthened (laore than half lis 

 lonu" as the t'ourili toi-). with lari:-e claw. Front toes with sliuht basal weblnnjj: 

 liciwccn outer or middle t)nes, or nouc: outer toe oftiMi reversible. Nostrils im- 

 pcilbrate. IJill short, stout, not notaltly contracted in its eontiiuiity, with 

 stroiiuly hooked tip: tomia often once-twice toothetl or lobed. Head featheriMl 

 wholly or in <^reatest part, bower larynx doveU>ped with one j»air of nmscles. 

 IMumaiie with or without after-shafts. (\ec;v ]»resent, as a rule, if n«>t always. 

 IMiysio-iitMny pi^culiar by n-ason tif i.q'<'at lateral expansion and hMiirthwise 

 shorteniuu if the cranium, eausinir the <'yes to be ilirected forwartl. Eyes 

 surrounded liy a disc of radialinpf bristly feathers, in front eloseh' appressed 

 to ami hiilini;" the base of the bill, <'lsewhere bounded by a rim of dilVerently 

 formed feathers. Tomia ni'ver toothed or lobed. Nostrils usually at the edtre 

 of the cere, ( )utin- toe completely vrsatile. shorter than the imu'r toe. 1-Jasal 

 phalanx olnii<ldle toe not Ioniser than the secoml. and nuich shorter than the 

 next. I.eus commonly featheretl or bristly to or on the to(\s. PlumaLre 

 peculiarly soft and lax, without after-shafts; lli^ht perfectly noiseless. Cra- 

 nial walls widely separated liy intervention of sponury diploe. Stenuim 



commonly doubly notched. Chii'lly nocturnal Sfrujidce. 



Physioirnomy not peculiar in any lateral expansion ol' the cranium: the 

 eyes lateral in direction. No complete facial disc; base of l>ill not hidden by 



^ Exccptini; S/)/ni)'npicuff, in which the tonpic is not nion^ pndnisiblc than in ordinary birds. 

 - Our species falls rather in a restricted fannly Aridr, as distinguished from Psiffoculcv proper, 

 vol.. I. d 



