USE OF THE TABLES. 25 



with the characters given in the first Table, he finds to 

 have no hack-toe, and that the fore-toes are united hy a 

 membrane ; he rightly, therefore, concludes that it belongs 

 to the order Palmipedes, or Web-footed; and he is directed 

 for further particulars to Table XXVI. Thus he perceives, 

 that as his specimen has only three front-toes, that its beak 

 is not toothed, or serrated like a file or saw, and that its 

 wings are very short, it must be of the tribe Brevipennes, 

 and he is referred to Table XXX. Then, as the wings are 

 feathered, and it has no back-toe, it must be of the genus 

 Alca ; and he will have little difficulty, on referring to its 

 colours, size, and a few other particulars, to ascertain its 

 species. 



In the above references, the birds for consideration were 

 a Sparrow-hawk and Puffin, species more or less known to 

 most of our readers. One more, however, shall be added, 

 entirely foreign. Its colour a brilliant green, beautifully 

 mottled and variegated on the upper part, the lower of the 

 breast and leg-feathers being of a delicate lemon-colour; 

 the size, rather smaller than a Thrush. On looking to 

 Table I., the hind- toes are found to be two, and two before; 

 it is therefore of the order Scansores, or climbers, and 

 reference is made to Table XIY., when, as its beak is not 

 very large at the base, and not toothed, it must be of the 

 Cuneirostral tribe, Table XV. On examining its beak, and 

 finding it rather curved, with mandible rounded, and nos- 

 trils projecting, there can be no hesitation in pronouncing it 

 to be a Cuculus, or Cuckoo. And so it is : the Golden 

 Cuckoo, one of the most splendid ornaments of the South 

 African forests, and not uncommon at the Cape of Good 

 Hope; and in such a gorgeous garb, little likely to be taken 

 by an ignorant observer for a bird belonging to the family 

 of the grey and sober livery-clad class of Cuckoos, peculiar 

 to our northern latitudes. 



