622 



MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



The tongue is very long, notched at its side, or feathered with 

 delicate lateral processes. The Toucans live chiefly upon 

 fruits, and are all confined to the hotter regions of South 

 America, frequenting the forests in considerable flocks. 



The Trogons have short and weak feet, a short triangular 

 bill, the gape bordered with strong bristles, and short wings. 

 The plumage is soft and loose, and generally of the most gor- 



Fig. 344. Head of Toucan. 



geous description. They inhabit the most retired recesses of 

 the forests of the intertropical regions of both hemispheres, 

 and show many decided points of affinity to the Goatsuckers. 



The Barbets (Bucconidtz] are South American, but also occur 

 in Africa and in the Indian province. Lastly, the Plantain- 

 eaters or Touracos (Musophagidce) are exclusively confined to 

 Africa. 



The range of the Scansores in time does not appear to be 

 extensive, the earliest known representative of the order being 

 from the Lower Tertiary. The Eocene beds of Wyoming have 

 yielded remains of a Woodpecker (Uintornis), and Parrots, 

 Trogons, Cuckoos, and Woodpeckers are known to have lived 

 during the later Tertiary and Post-tertiary periods. 



ORDER V. INSESSORES. The sixth order of Birds is that of 

 the Insessores, or Perchers often spoken of as the Passeres, or 

 " Passerine " Birds. They are denned by Owen as follows : 

 " Legs slender, short, with three toes before and one behind, the 

 two external toes united by a very short membrane" (fig. 345, E, F). 



" The Perchers form the largest and by far the most numer- 

 ous order of birds, but are the least easily recognisable by dis- 

 tinctive characters common to the whole group. Their feet, 



