470 AVES. 



mantis from the Old World, and Saurothera, Diplopterus, Piaya, Coccyzus 

 from America ; some of these are said to be parasitic, but most of them 

 certainly build nests. 



Other genera usually grouped under different sub-families are Eudy- 

 namis, Phoenicophaes, Pyrrhocentor, Centropus, Coua, Geococcyx, Croto- 

 phaga, Guira. Some of these build their own nests. In the case of 

 Crotophaga ani, the black witch, several females unite to lay their eggs in 

 a common nest. 



Fam. Musophagidae. Touracos or plantain-eaters. About 20 species, 

 at present confined to Africa. The fourth toe is reversible. The red fea- 

 thers of the birds of this family owe their colour to a red pigment called 

 turacin and containing 5 to 8 p.c. of copper and soluble in weak alka- 

 line solutions. It is washed out by rain in the living bird, the feathers 

 regaining their colour after an interval. A green pigment called turaco- 

 verdin is also found among these birds ; it contains iron but no copper 

 and is the only instance of a green pigment in the class. Turacus (Cory- 

 thaix) fischeri of E. Afr. ; T, persa L., W. Afr. ; Musophaga violacea Isert, 

 W. Afr. ; Schizorrhis Wagl. Necrornis fossil in the Miocene of France. 



Group 2. Psittaci. 



Aquintocubital, zygodactylous, arboreal birds, with strongly bent beak, 

 fleshy tongue and short metatarsus. The upper beak, which is covered 

 at its base by a cere, is articulated with the frontal, and its long hooked 

 extremity overlaps the short and broad lower beak. The parrots form a 

 very sharply marked group, and the oldest known form, Psiltacus verreauxi 

 from the Lower Miocene of France, shows all the feculiar features of the 

 group. Cosmopolitan, except in the colder regions ; but their head- 

 quarters are Austro-Malaya ; about 80 genera, and 500 species. The color- 

 ation is commonly gaudy. They are monogamous, but usually roost and 

 feed in company. 



Fam. Trichoglossidae. The tip of the tongue has fine horny fibres. 

 Nestor meridionalis L., the kaka parrot of N. Zealand ; N. notabilis 

 Gould, the kea of the south island of N. Zealand, eats fruits, seeds and in- 

 sects, but has lately acquired the habit of pecking holes with its powerful 

 beak in the back and sides of sheep ; there was a recently extinct species 

 in Norfolk Island. The lories form the bulk of this family, Austro-Malaya, 

 Polynesia except N. Zealand ; with principal genera, Eos, Lorius, Tricho- 

 glossus, Oreopsittacus. Cyclopsittacus also here. 



Fam. Psittacidae. Parrots. With smooth tongue. 



Sub-fam. 1. Cacatuinae. Cockatoos, Australian Region and 

 Philippines ; head with moveable crest, orbit complete, usually with 

 only left carotid. Calyptorhynchus, Cacatua, etc. Lophopsittacus 

 mauritianus, a contemporary of the dodo in Mauritius. 



Sub-fam. 2. Psittacinae. Orbit and carotids vary, include the 

 bulk of the parrots. Melopsittacus undulatus Shaw, the grass-para- 

 keet or budgerigar, Australia. Platycercus Vig., Australia, N. Zea- 

 land, Society Islands. Loriculus, Agapornis Selby, Africa, Psittacula 

 111., America, are the love-birds. Palaeornis Vig., Australia, Asia, Africa. 

 Psittacus erithacus L., the grey parrot, the best talker, Africa. Chrys- 

 otis Sw. Ara Cuv., the macaws, Neotropical. Nasiterna Wagl., 

 New Guinea and islands. 

 Fam. Stringopidae. Kakapo, of N. Zealand ; with normal carotids, orbit 



