14)6 VERTEBRATA. 



ainl the toes nniiitl w illi luiiij, i-iirvod, uiiJ acute claws. These birds are peculiar to South America, 

 and ill their t;eiiernl hahit.s n-seinhle the fly-catcliers. Many of them perch upon trees and bushes, 

 and thence daxji oft" into the air in pursuit of insects on the wing; others are never seen in the neigh- 

 borhood of woods, but appear to |)refer fields in the vicinity of water, where they rest on the rushes 

 and other a<|iiatic plants. It is in the male only that the great development of the tail above alluded 

 to is .seen ; tlie f<-atliers of this j>art exhibit several peculiarities of structure. The two external fea- 

 thers liave the barbs much broader on one side than on the other, and the two central feathers, which 

 are the most eIon<;at('d, frc(piently have the barbs decomposed, and the termination of the shaft 

 naked. They are small binls, the Tri-colored Alectrluus, A. tricolor, being only six inches long. 



THE TUKDIDJE OU THRUSHES. 



This familv, the numerous species of which feed on insects, worms, and fruits, and usually move 

 on the ground bv hopping with both feet at once, includes several interesting and well-known 

 LCroups, as the Jiiiibiils, Orioles, Babblers, True Thrushes, Ant-Thrushes, Warblers, Titlarks, 

 Bush- Creepers, Titmice, Robins, Nightingales, Tailor-Birds, «fec. 



THE BULBULS. 



These birds belong chietly to India, though a few are found in Africa; their sprightliness ren- 

 ders them general favorites ; several species are greatly admired as songsters ; they inhabit woods, 

 jungles, and gardens, and feed on fruits and seeds, and. occasionally on insects. One species, the 

 Pycnonotus jocosus, is easily tamed and taught to sit on its master's Land. Great numbers may 

 be seen in the bazaars of India. Another species, the Pgoionrtvs licemorrhous, is kept for fighting. 

 The under tail-coverts are red, and it is said the combatants endeavor to seize and pull out these 

 feathers. The eggs are three to four in number, of a whitish color, with dark blotches. 



THE ORIOLES. 



These live in woods and shrubby places, usually in pairs, suspending their nests at the extremi- 

 ties of the branches of trees. The males are generally beautiful birds, a golden-yellow being the 

 predominant color in their plumage. Their food consists of insects and fruits. They are, for the 

 most part, inhabitants of tropical countries ; but a single species, the Golden Oriole, Oriolus 

 Galbula, (see page G,) migrates into Europe, in the southern parts of which it is abundant. It 

 is of a bright yellow color, with the wings and tail black ; the female is greenish-yellow above, 

 and whitish beneath, with the wings and tail brown. It is about the size of our common 

 robin. Its voice is loud, and has been compared to the sound of a flute ; Bechstein says it resem- 

 bles the word ^.jm^/o. The names given to the bird in different European languages are sup- 

 posed to be, to a certain extent, imitations of its note. The Spaniards call it Turiol, the French 

 Loriot, the English Oriole ; and two of the German names are Pirol and Billoiv. 



The note of some of the Indian species is described as very similar to that attributed by Bech- 

 stein to the European bird. A nearly allied species, the Mango-Bird or Golden Oriole of 

 India, Oriolus Kundoo, is said to have a loud, mellow, plaintive cry, resembling ^ce-Ao, and Mr- 

 Pearson says of the Black-headed Oriole, 0. melanocejjhalus, which is common in Bengal, 

 that it has a monotonous, low note, resembling "one lengthened, full-toned note on the flute," 

 which is so constantly repeated during the spring that it is a positive nuisance. 



Most of the other species of the group resemble the golden oriole, both in character and habits; 

 but one species, the Regent-Bird or King Honey-Eater, Sericulus chrysocephalus, of Australia, 

 is remarkable for having the tip of the tongue terminated by a pencil of fine filaments like that 

 of the honey-eaters, among which this bird has indeed been placed by some authors. The male 

 is one of the most beautiful of Australian birds ; its plumage, which is very glossy and satin-like, 

 is variegated with two colors, deep black and brilliant yellow, the latter tinged with orange in 

 some places. The female is dingy in its appearance. The Regent-Birds are found in the warmer 

 parts of the Australian continent, where they inhabit the recesses of the forests, and appear to be 

 exceedingly shy, feeding upon fruits and seeds. Our beautiful birds, the Baltimore and Orchard 

 Orioles, belong to the Ictcrincc, and will be noticed under that head. 



