[93 



LECTURE VL 



[E Order Passeres of Linnaeus may be said 

 to comprehend most of the smaller kind of land 

 birds in general, together with some of a larger 

 size than the rest. The natural characters of this 

 order of birds are the following. The bill is form- 

 ed so as to operate in the manner of a forceps j 

 the limbs are rather weak than strong: their flight 

 is quick, with a frequent repetition of the move- 

 ment of the wings : they chiefly build in trees, or 

 shrubs, and in general lay a moderate number of 

 eggs, except some of the smaller species, which 

 lay numerous ones. They excel in the art of nidi- 

 fication or constructing their nests. Their food 

 is either animal or vegetable j some live chiefly 

 on insects, some on seeds, and some on both. 

 The whole order is considered by Linnaeus as ana- 

 logous to the Glires among Quadrupeds. 



The Pigeon tribe, forming the first Linna?aii 



LBCT. i. o 



