PASSERINE. 



123 



ORDER II. 



PASSERINE*. 



THIS order is the most numerous of the whole class. 



The birds which compose it have neither the violence of the birds of prey, 

 nor the fixed regimen of the Gallinacese, nor of the water-birds; insects, 

 fruit, and grain constitute their food, which consists the more exclusively of 

 grain, in proportion to the largeness of their beak, and of insects, as it is the 

 more slender. Those which have strong beaks pursue even small birds. 

 Among them we find the singing birds, and the most complicated inferior 

 larynx. 



The proportional length of their wings, and their power of flight, are as 

 various as their habits. 



Our first division is founded upon the feet; we then have recourse to the 

 beak. 



The first and most numerous comprehends those genera in which the exter- 

 nal toe is united to its fellow by one or two phalanges only. 



FAMILY I. 

 DENTIROSTRES. 



IN this family the beak is emarginate on the sides of the point. It is in this 

 family that we find the greatest number of insectivorous 

 birds, though almost all of them likewise feed on ber- 

 ries and other soft fruits. The genus is determined 

 by the general form of the beak, which is strong and 

 compressed in the shrikes and thrushes, depressed in 

 the fly-catchers, large and round in the tanagers. The 

 external claw is united to the internal one by one and 

 sometimes two phalanges, as represented in the engrav- 

 ing. This family is divided into eighteen genera, but 

 the change from one distinction to the other is so gra- 

 dual, that it is an extreme difficult matter to fix the 

 limits of the various genera. 



LANIUS, Linnaeus. 



In the shrikes the beak is conical or compressed, and more or less hooked at the 

 point ; they live in families, and fly irregularly and precipitately, uttering shrill 

 cries; they build on trees, lay five or six eggs, and 

 take great care of their young. They have a habit 

 of imitating, on the spot, a part of the songs of such 

 birds as live in their vicinity. The upper part of the 

 females and of the young is marked with fine transverse lines. 



Passerine ; from Passer, a. sparrow. 



