268 



AVES. 



This distinguished ornithologist proposes to 

 divide the Tenuirostres into the following 

 families : Cinnyrida, Sugar-eaters ; Trochilida, 

 Humming-birds; in which families the beak 

 and feet are more remarkable for their tenuity 

 and length : and Promeropida, Hoopoes ; Me- 

 liphagidte, Honey-suckers ; Nectariniada, Nec- 

 tar-birds ; in which the sleriderness of the beak 

 and feet is less remarkable. 



Fie. 118. The Fissirostres, (fig. 



,,,.*>., v H8j, like the Tenuirostres, 



,0^,0^^ are distinguished by a habit 

 of feeding on the wing, but 

 as their food, instead of 

 Rostrum of the vegetable juices, consists of 

 Capiimulgus. living insects, the form of 

 the beak is modified accordingly, and is re- 

 markable for its shortness and the wideness 

 of its gape, especially in the typical families. 

 In these the mode of catching the prey is con- 

 formable to their distinguish ing characters ; they 

 receive it in full flight into the cavity of their 

 mouths, which remain open for that purpose, and 

 where a viscous exudation within and a strong 

 fence ofvibrissa on the exterior, assist in secur- 

 ing the victim. The longer-billed Fissirostres, 

 on the other hand, seize their food by their bills. 

 The following are the families of the Fissirostral 

 tribe : Hirundinida, Swallows ; Caprimulgida, 

 Goat-suckers; these are characterized by the 

 short, wide, and weak bill. Todida, Todies ; 

 Halcyonid*, King-fishers; Mcropidc, Bee- 

 eaters ; these latter fa- 

 mil ies are characterized 

 by their stronger and 

 longer bill, and fur- 

 ther differ from the 

 preceding in having 

 the external toe nearly 

 as long as the middle 

 one to which it is 

 united as far as the 

 penultimate joint; they 

 are therefore termed 

 Syndactyles by Cuvier. 

 Fig. 119 represents the 

 foot of the King-fisher. 



Order III. SCANSORES. 



nests are less skilfully constructed than those 

 of the Insessores, and are generally made in 

 the hollows of old trees ; one family, indeed, 

 is remarkable for depositing its eggs in the 

 nests of other birds. Their powers of flight 

 are moderate ;* their food consists of insects 

 and fruit. The scansorial families are the 

 Psittacidte, Parrots; Picida:, Woodpeckers, 

 Wry-necks; Cuculidte, Cuckoos; Rhamphas- 

 tid(B, Toucans. 



OrderlV. RASORES. 



Upper mandible, vaulted ; nostrils, pierced 

 in a membranous space at their base, covered 

 by a cartilaginous scale. Legs, strong, mus- 

 cular; three toes before united at their base by 

 a short membrane, and one behind, higher 

 than the rest, furnished with short, blunt, and 

 robust nails, for the purpose of scratching up 

 the food. Tail-fea- 

 thers 14 18. 



The food of the 

 Scratchers, or gal- 

 linaceous birds, be- 

 ing vegetable sub- 

 stances, as grains and 



Fig. 121. 



Fig. 119. 



/* 



Feet with two 

 toes before and one 

 behind. (Fig. 120.) 

 The disposition of 

 the toes which re- 

 sults from the ex- 

 ternal one being 

 turned back like the 

 thumb, gives the 

 Scansores great fa- 

 cility in climbing 

 the branches of 

 trees, but proporti- 

 onally impedes their 

 progression along 

 level ground.* Their 



Fig. 120. 



Foot of the Woodpecker. 



adaptation of the vertebrate skeleton to powers of 

 flight. 



* There are peculiar exceptions to the general 

 character in this as in most other orders of birds. 



seeds, they have a 

 large crop and ex- 

 tremely muscular 

 gizzard. They most- 



ly deposit and hatch their eggs on the ground 

 in a rudely constructed nest of straw. Each 

 male has ordinarily many females, he takes no 

 part in nidification or in rearing the young ; 

 and these are generally numerous and able to 

 run about and provide for themselves the mo- 

 ment they quit the shell. 



The families of the Rasores are the Colum- 

 bid<, or Dove-tribe ; Cracida, Curassow-birds ; 

 Phasianidts, Pheasant, common Fowl ; Tetra- 

 onidtz, Grouse, Partridge. 



Order V. CURSORES. 



Wings very short, not used for flying; legs 

 robust; Sternum without a keel. 



This order includes the Brevipennes, which 

 constitute a tribe of Waders (Grallae) in the 

 Cuvierian system ; and form in the system of 

 Mr. Vigors, a family of Rasores under the 

 term Struthionida. They differ remarkably 

 from one another, both in the form of the beak 

 and feet, and each known species forms the 

 type of either a separate genus or family. 



Among the Cuculidas, the ' Traveller's Friend,' of 

 South America,' and among the Psittacidce, the 

 * ground parrots ' of New South Wales, are remark- 

 able for their preference of the ground, for progres- 

 sion along which their elongated naked tarsus, and 

 slender toes, of which one of the hind ones can be 

 brought forward to the front row, favourably adapt 

 them. 



* The Trichoglossi of New Holland afford as re- 

 markable an exception in respect of powers of flight ; 

 for instead of the usual short rounded wings of the 

 parrot tribe, they have them elongated and pointed 

 like those of a hawk, and dart through the forests 

 with inconceivable rapidity. 



