Order IH. SCANSORES. 



THE Third Order, SCANSORES, or Climbers, are at once 

 distinguished by the position of their toes, which are placed 

 two anteriorly, and two posteriorly. 



The First Family, RAMPHASTID^E, or 

 Toucans, 



have the bill much prolonged, broad at the base, with the 

 culmen curved ; the sides compressed to the tip, the lateral 

 margins more or less serrated. We have no birds of this 

 family inhabiting South Africa : they are confined to the 

 New 'World. 



The Second Family, PSITTACIDJE, or 

 Parrots, 



have the bill more or less large and strong, with the culmen 

 arched to the tip, which is prolonged, and acute, the lateral 

 margins sometimes dentated, and the base covered by a cere, 

 of a greater or less size, in which the nostrils are placed. 



Genus PSITTACUS, Linn. 



Bill large, and rather compressed, with the culmen trian- 

 gular, and much arched to the tip, near which the lateral 

 margin is strongly emarginated, that of the under mandible 

 much sinuated, and the anterior part sharply edged ; the 

 gonys advancing upwards, and angular ; the nostrils basal 

 and lateral, with the opening small and rounded ; wings 

 mostly reaching to the end of the tail, with the first quill 

 nearly as long as the second and third, which are longest ; 

 tail short and even ; tarsi very short, and covered with small 

 scales ; toes long, the lateral ones equal, and all covered with 

 small scales ; the claws shoi t, and slightly curved ; the wings 

 and the tail generally long ; arid the tarsi usually very short 

 and robust. 



