162 LECTURE V. 



Thus the Pigeons have been sometimes consi- 

 dered as properly forming a distinct order of 

 birds under the title of the Columba or the Colum- 

 bine Order, instead of being ranked among the 

 Passeres of Linnaeus j and the Ostrich, Cassowary, 

 and Dodo have been supposed to constitute an or- 

 der called the Struthious Order, instead of ranking 

 either among the Grallas or Gallinae of Linnaeus. 



The first Linnaean tribe of Birds, called Ac- 

 CIPITRES, consists of the Vultures, the Eagles, the 

 Chvls, and the Shrikes or Butcher-Birds ; for all 

 these birds are of a predacious nature, and feed 

 entirely on animal food. Their general charac- 

 ters, considered at large, or as belonging to the 

 whole tribe, are these. The bill is more or less 

 curved, strong, and often covered, round the base, 

 by a naked membrane, called a cere ; and on 

 each side, towards the tip, is a pretty strong 

 point or projection, forming a kind of tooth, 

 and serving the more easily to tear the prey. 

 The wings are large and strong, and the whole 

 body stout and muscular ; the legs strong and 

 short, the claws much curved, and sharp-pointed. 



These birds generally make a somewhat neg- 

 ligently or slightly-formed nest, in lofty situa- 



