PASSE RES. 



319 



then very easy for them to pounce upon birds and small quadrupeds. There 

 are some species that pursue their prey in the day-time ; but during this period 

 they generally retire into hollow trees or rents in the walls ; sometimes they 

 lie flat upon the branches of trees, and then all the little birds of which they 

 are the terror by twilight come out to insult them. During the night they 

 often utter plaintive cries, regarded by the vulgar as unfortunate omens. In 

 reality, these birds are more useful than injurious, on account of the number 

 of small rats and mice that they destroy. Doubtless their large head and 

 their habitual tranquillity obtained for them the reputation for wisdom which 

 they enjoyed among the ancients. 



ORDER PASSERES.* 



This Order includes all birds that are neither swimmers, waders, 

 climbers, rapacious, nor yet gallinaceous ; that is, it contains all 

 birds that are not assignable to any of the other Orders. Its 

 characteristics, therefore, are purely negative ; yet, although we 

 cannot unite all the species that belong to it under a common de- 

 scription, they nevertheless resemble each other in the totality 

 or aggregate of their structure. The Passerine tribes have neither 

 the violence of the birds of prey nor the fixed regimen of the 

 gallinaceous or aquatic birds. They live upon insects, fruits, and 

 grain ; but those with strong beaks live more exclusively upon 

 grain, those with slender beaks upon insects. The proportional 

 length of their wings and the extent of their flight are as variable 

 as their habits. They have four toes, generally three in front and 

 one behind ; sometimes all four are in front ; but there are rarely 

 two before and two behind, as in the Order of climbing birds (Scan- 

 sores). 



The Order Passeres is divided into five tribes, as in the follow- 

 ing table : 



/The external toe/ Notched on both sides near its point. Dentirostres. 



m 



3 



o 



shorter than the 

 middle one, and 

 free for the< 

 greater part of 

 its length. . . 



Upper mandible \Withoutanotch 



/Short, wide, and^ 

 S^ Fissirostres. 

 very open . . ) 



s S sand . co :} Co ^ s ^ s . 



S X e ted and }Ten-airostres. 



The external toe almost as long as the middle one, to ") gvnda ctvlse 

 x which it is united as far as to the last joint but one j S3 .7 Iltiaci 'J 1 *' 



* Passer, a sparrffiv. 



