PASSERINE. DENTIROSTRES. 257 



ORDER IL PASSERINE.* 



A VERY numerous and heterogeneous assemblage of 

 genera are united under the above name, distinguish- 

 ed by scarcely a single peculiarity from other orders, 

 except the absence of such characters as mark them. 

 Even the structure of the feet, adapting them for 

 sitting on horizontal branches and twigs, and which 

 has been seized to institute another name for the 

 Order, that of Insessores, or Perchers, is possessed 

 in common with the rapacious tribes, and with some 

 of the Gallinaceae. Still, however, they do group 

 together, though awkwardly ; and the genera, though 

 varying exceedingly in size, form, and habits, yet 

 pass into each other by gradations so insensible, 

 that they cannot be separated from each other. The 

 investigation of the species, which exceed in number 

 those of all the other Orders together, is aided by 

 their sub-division into five sub-orders or families; 

 distinguished by the structure of the bill, in all 

 except in one, which is named from the formation of 

 the feet. 



FAM. I. DENTIROSTRES.* 



The distinguishing character of this family is a 

 notch on each side of the upper mandible, near the 

 point, most manifest in the Shrikes, displaying their 

 relationship to the Falcons, but becoming in the 



* Passer, a sparrow. -j- Dens, a tooth, and rostrum^ a beak. 



