PASSERIFORMES 477 



Farn. Vireonidae. Greenlets, America. 



Fam. Sittidae. Nuthatches. Sitta caesia W. & M., the British species 

 of nuthatch. 



Fam. Paridae. Tits. Small, beautifully coloured and agile birds of 

 stout build, with sharp, short, almost conical beak. Parus major L., 

 great titmouse ; P. ater L., coal titmouse ; P. caeruleus L., blue titmouse ; 

 P.c.ristatus L., crested titmouse; P. palustris L., marsh titmouse; P. 

 caudatus L., long-tailed titmouse. Aeqithalus pendulinus L., penduline 

 titmouse. 



Fam. Oriolidae. Old-World orioles. Palaearctic, 'Oriental and 

 Australian Regions. Oriolus galbula, the golden oriole, Europe. 



Fam. Paradiseidae. Birds of Paradise ; Australian Region. With 

 slightly curved, compressed beak, large toes, and strong feet. The males 

 are gorgeously attired, with tufts of lax feathers at the sides of the body 

 and on the neck and breast. The two middle rectrices are often elon- 

 gated and filiform, with small vane only at the extremity. Paradisea 

 apoda L. Cincinnurus regius L., New Guinea (Fig. 256). Pteridophora 

 alberti, New Guinea. 



The bower-birds of Australia (Ptilorhynchus, Chlamydera, Sericulus 

 Amblyornis, Prionodura, etc.) are placed here. They construct "runs" 

 or " playing houses " with pieces of sticks and grass, and in some cases 

 ornamsnt them with mosses, flowers, feathers, shells, etc. It is not clear 

 whether the bowers are constructed by birds of both sexes or by the males 

 only. 



Fam. Corvidae. Beak strong and thick, somewhat curved anteriorly 

 and slightly notched. Corvus corax L., raven ; C. comix L., hooded crow ; 

 C. corone L., carrion crow ; C. jrugilegus L., rook ; C. monedula L., jack- 

 daw. Pica caudata, magpie ; Garrulus glandularius L., jay. Nucifraga 

 caryozatactes L., nutcracker. Pyrrhocorax V., choughs. 



Fam. Sturnidae. Starlings. With straight or slightly curved, strong 

 beak, the point of which is rarely only slightly notched ; without rictal 

 vibrissae. Old World, not America. Sturmts vulgaris L., starling. 

 Pastor roseus Temm., rose-coloured starling. Buphaga africana L., ox- 

 pecker. 



Fam. Drepanididae. Sandwich Islands. 



Fam. Meliphagidae. Honey-eaters. Australian Region. Small beau- 

 tifully-coloured birds of stout build, with muscular vocal apparatus, long 

 gently-curved beak, wings of medium length and long tail. Meliphaga 

 auricomis Sw. 



Fam. Zosteropidae. White-eyes. Ethiopian, Indian, Australian Re- 

 gions. 



Fam. Nectariniidae. Sun-birds. With brilliant metallic coloration. 

 India, Papuasia, N. Australia, Africa. Nectarina splendida Cuv., S. 

 Africa. 



Fam. Dicaeidae- Flower-peckers. India, Australia, W. Africa. 



Fam. Certhiidae- Creepers. With long slightly-curved beak, horny 

 tongue, and long hind toe with sharp claw. Palaearctic, Nearctic, Ethio- 

 pian, Australian Regions. Cerihia familiaris L., common creeper. Ticho- 

 droma muraria 111., wall-creeper. 



Fam. Coerebidae. Quitquits. America. 



Fam. Mniotiltidae. American warblers. 



Fam. Tanagridae. America. 



Fam. Ploceidae. Weaver-birds. So called from the elaborately woven 



