130 AVES. 



Ai. \rii.\. Linnaeus. 



The Larks are known by the nail of their thumb, which is straight, strong, 

 and much longer than the others. They are 

 granivorous birds, and pulverators. They build 

 on the ground, and generally sleep there. 



The beak of the greater number is straight, 

 moderately stout and pointed. 



A. Arvensis. (The Sky-lark.) Is universally 

 known by its perpendicular mode of soaring, accompanied by its varied and 

 powerful song. 



A. Cristata. (The Crested Lark.) Is about the same size as the above, but 

 it has the power of erecting the feathers on the head into a tuft. 



PARUS, Linnteus. 



The Titmouse has a slender, short, conical, and straight beak, furnished 

 with little hairs at the base, and the nostrils concealed among the feathers. It 

 is a genus of very active little birds, which are continually flitting and climbing 

 from branch to branch, suspending themselves therefrom in all sorts of posi- 

 tions, rending apart the seeds on which they feed, devouring insects wherever 

 they see them, and not sparing even small birds when they happen to find 

 them sick and are able to put an end to them. They lay up stores of seeds, 

 build in the holes of old trees, and lay more eggs than any of the Passerina?. 



EMBERIZA, Linnaeus. 



The Buntings have a very distinct character in their conical, short, and 

 straight beak, the upper mandible of which is narrow, sinks into the lower, 

 and has a projecting, hard tubercle on the palate. They are granivorous, and 

 unsuspicious birds, which run into every snare that is laid for them. 



E. hottulanu, Lin. (The Ortolan.) The back olive-brown ; throat yellowish ; 

 the inner side of the two external feathers of the tail white. Builds in 

 hedges ; is very fat, and common in autumn. 



FRINGILLA, Linnaeus. 



The Sparrows have a conical beak, more or less thick at base; but its com- 

 missure is not angular. They feed generally on grain, and are for the most 

 part voracious and noxious. We subdivide them into 



Ploceus (The Weavers), Pyrgita (Sparrows), Fringilla (Finches), Car- 

 duelis (Goldfinches), Linaria (Linnets,) to which belongs the Canary Bird, 

 Vidua (Widows), Coccothraustes (Grossbeaks), Pitylus, and Pyrrhula or 

 (Bullfinches.) 



LOXIA, Brisson. 



The Crossbills have a compressed beak, and the two mandibles so strongly 

 curved, that their points cross each other, sometimes on one side, sometimes 

 on the other. This singular beak enables them to tear out the seeds from 



