PASSERINES. 139 



COLIUS, Gm.(l) 



The Colies also approximate considerably to the preceding birds. Their 

 beak is short, thick, conical, and somewhat compressed, its two mandibles 

 being- arcuated, but without extending- beyond each other; the quills of 

 their tail are cuneiform, and very long; their thumb, as in Cypselus, is 

 capable of being directed forwards like the other toes; their fine and silky 

 feathers are generally cinereous. They inhabit Africa and India, climb 

 something in the manner of Parrots, live in flocks, build many of their nests 

 on the same bush, and sleep suspended to its branches in crowds, with the 

 head downwards. They feed on fruit. 

 Here also come the 



BUPHAGA, Briss. 



The Beef-Eaters form a small genus in which the beak is of a moderate 

 length, cylindrical at the beginning, and inflated (both mandibles) near the 

 end, which terminates in a blunt point. They use it to compress the skin 

 of cattle in order to force out the larvae of the CEstrus lodged in it, on which 

 they feed. 



One species only is known, and that is from Africa; brownish, with a mode- 

 rate sized cuneiform tail; as large as a Thrash. It is the Buphaga africana. 



CASSICUS, Cuv. 



A large and exactly conical beak, thick at base, and very sharp at the point; 

 small round nostrils, pierced on the sides; the commissure of the mandibles 

 forms a broken line, or is angular like that of the Starlings. They are 

 American birds, whose manners are similar to those of the last mentioned 

 ones, living like them in flocks, frequently constructing their nests close 

 together, and sometimes with much art. They feed on grain and Insects, 

 and do great injury to cultivated grounds. They are now divided into 

 Cassicus proper, Icterus, &c. Among the latter we distinguish a species 

 with a somewhat shorter beak, the 



Icterus pecoris, Tern. (The Cow Bunting.) A violet black; head and 

 neck a brown grey. Lives in flocks among cattle; but the most peculiar 

 trait in its habits is that, like the Cuckoo, it lays its eggs in other bird's nests. 



STURNUS, Lin. 

 The Starlings have a beak that is depressed, especially near the point. 



We can find no sufficient character to enable us to distinguish 

 from the Conirostres with certainty and precision, the different gen- 

 era of the family of the Crows, all of which have a similar internal 

 structure and external organs, only differing in a (generally) 



(1) Koxo/of, the Greek name of a small species of Crow. 



