142 AVES. 



SITTA, Lin. 



The Nuthatches have a straight, prismatic, pointed beak, compressed near 

 the point, which they employ like the Woodpeckers to perforate the bark 

 of trees, and in withdrawing the larvse contained in it; but their tongue is 

 not extensible, and although they climb in every direction, they have but 

 one toe behind, which, it is true, is a strong one. The tail is of no use in 

 supporting them, as is the case with the Woodpeckers and True Creepers. 



CERTHIA, Lin. 



Or the Creepers, have an arcuated beak, but that is the only common char- 

 acter they possess. The True Creepers, so called from their habit of 

 climbing trees like Woodpeckers, in doing which they make use of their 

 tail as a prop or supporter, are known by the quills of the tail, which are 

 worn, and terminate in a stiff point, like those of the same birds. They are 

 divided into various subgenera. 



TROCHILUS, Lin. 



The Hummingbirds, so celebrated for the metallic lustre of their plumage, 

 and chiefly for those plates, brilliant as precious stones, which are formed 

 by scaly feathers of a peculiar structure, on their throat or head, have along 

 slender beak, enclosing a tongue, which they can protrude at will, like that 

 of the Woodpeckers (and by the same mechanism), which is split almost 

 to its base, forming two filaments, employed, as is asserted, in taking up the 

 nectar from flowers. They also, however, feed on small insects, for we 

 have found their stomach filled with them. Their very small feet, broad 

 tail, excessively long and narrow wings, short humerus and large sternum, 

 which is without emargination, all contribute to form a system adapted for 

 great power of flight; similar to that of the Swallows. The narrowness of 

 their wing is caused by the rapid abbreviation of its quills. By these means, 

 they balance themselves in air with nearly as much facility as certain Flies, 

 and it is thus that they hum about flowers and fly with more proportionate 

 rapidity than any other bird. They live singly, defend their nests with 

 courage, and fight desperately with each other. 



UPUPA, Lin. 



The Hoopoes have an ornament on the head formed of a double range of 

 long feathers, which they can erect at will. The subgenera are Promerops 

 and Epimachus* 



The second and smallest division of the Passerinae comprehends 

 those in which the external toe, which is nearly as long as the mid- 

 dle one, is united to it as far as the penultimate articulation. We 

 make but a single group of them, the 



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