ZOOLOGY. 633 



its own nourishment. Although in the lower animals the 

 young do not require the assistance of the parents, and, 

 on the other hand, those of the Thricozoa are suckled 

 for a longer time by the mother ; yet still those Birds 

 which can, upon issuing from the egg, at once nourish 

 themselves, such as the Fowls, Geese, &c., are probably 

 the most perfect, for they pass parallel to the upper 

 classes of animals, and for the Ostrich to be a Thricozoon, 

 there is indeed as little wanting as to the Crocodile. 



3551. There is no doubt whatever that the Natatores 

 in every respect, both in the structure of the feet and 

 head as also in their mode of living and feeding, repeat 

 the Fishes. This opinion the empirical zoologists have 

 already adopted from the Physio-philosophy. 



The same "may be said of the Grallse or Wading Birds 

 in reference to the Reptiles. Their feet, neck, and beak 

 are serpentiform, and associated with a frog-like body. 

 Their mode of living and feeding is likewise amphibious. 

 But these birds pass over so directly into the Fowls, that 

 the latter could not be arranged elsewhere, apart even 

 from their displaying by their domestication to Man the 

 higher grade of understanding, which is manifested for 

 the first time in the class of Birds. 



The Bustards and Ostriches are, finally, the highest 

 stage of Birds, and form the closest alliance with the 

 Thricozoa. 



3552. This point being once settled, it is self-evident 

 that the Birds, which do not stand in need of being fed, 

 occupy the uppermost place, and consequently the nest- 

 ling or parent-fed Birds the lowest, i. e. the former 

 correspond to the Sarcozoa, the latter to the Derma- 

 tozoa. 



A. SPLANCHNIC BIRDS. NESTHOCKER. 



3553. Remain, after exclusion from the egg, in the 

 nest and are fed ; neck and feet short, toes four in 

 number and ununited, beak pointed. 



By their short neck, which rarely appears longer than 

 the head, these Birds approximate the Reptiles and 





