THE CLASS BIEDS. 343 



These are, the vultures (Fig. 305), the Isemmergeyers (Pig. 

 325), the falcons, the eagles (Fig. 295), the sparrowhawks, 

 the Idtes (Fig. 302), the buzzards, &c. The others are noc- 

 turnal, and constitute the family of the owls, known by their 

 downy plumage and the anterior direction of their eyes. 



449. The order passerine have their legs slender, feeble, 

 and formed in the usual way, neither armed with claws nor 

 elongated like stilts, and with a single toe, directed back- 

 wards. The bill is feeble (Fig. 328), straight, or but little 

 curved (Figs. 329, 330) ; their wings are sufficiently large ; 

 and they are all small or of moderate size, and have slight 

 and light forms. 



Some live on insects, others on grain, and others are 

 omnivorous, and to this order belong all singing birds and 

 most birds of passage. 



Fig. 337. Apteryx of New Zealand. 



The number of the passeres is immense : as specimens we 

 may mention the blackbird, linnet, swallow, goat-suckers 

 (Fig. 308), lark (Fig. 329), sparrows, crow, bird of paradise 

 (Fig. 327), the colibri or humming-bird (Fig. 331), the wren 

 (Fig. 330), kingfisher (Fig. 310), and the calao (Fig. 312). 



450. The climbing birds have, with the regime and the 

 ordinary organization of the passeres, two toes directed for- 

 wards and two backwards ; hence the facility with which 

 they climb in all directions. In this division are arranged the 

 tucans remarkable for their enormous bills, the parroquet 

 (Fig. 332), the cuckoo, the woodpecker (Fig. 291), &c. 



