47 

 ORDER III. PASSERES. 



Bill conic, pointed, nostrils broad, oval, naked. 



The stomach is furnished with a gizzard. 



The food is previous to digestion macerated in the 

 crop. This receptacle which most birds possess for 

 the purpose of retaining and moistening the food, is 

 situated just above the forked bone* of the breast, 

 and is a dilatation of the ^Esophagus. 



It secretes a liquor which softens the food, and in 

 some species acts upon the aliment, partially digest- 

 ing it before its passage to the stomach. 



GENUS XV. 

 STURNUS. 



Bill straight, subulate, and somewhat angular; 

 feet simple, three toes before and one behind. 



1. VULGARIS. STARE OR STARLING. 



S. rostro jlavescente, corpore <eneo-nigro nitente, 

 punctis albis. Shaw. 



The bill is yellow, with a prominent margin round 

 the nostrils ; the irides are brown ; the head, neck, 



* This bone is peculiar to birds. 



