Beaks of Birds. 33 



rostres (' conical-beaked '), from the formation of the beak of all 

 those families which compose it. Instead of the tooth which 

 characterized the last tribe, here we have no tooth, but a short, 

 straight, conical beak, about as broad as high at the base, com- 

 pressed towards the end, and acute. Birds of this division live 

 chiefly on grain and seeds of different kinds, the nature of which 

 food is generally hard, and requires a strong bill to take it ; the 

 soft beak of the former tribe could never endure the work that 

 has to be done by these powerful little fellows ; sometimes they 

 break down the hardest seeds, sometimes they even crack the 

 stones of different kinds of fruits, in order to procure the kernels 

 inside ; for such work, and for pulling seeds from pods and grain 

 from husks, can we conceive anything more appropriate than the 

 conical form of these strong yet short pointed beaks ? With 

 these the larks and buntings can thrive in the stubble; the 

 finches can gain a supply of the seeds of a thousand plants ; the 

 starlings and the whole family of crows can support themselves 

 with grain, when other food cannot be found for these insatiable 

 and omnivorous birds. 



We come now to the third order of perchers, the Scansores, 

 'climbers.' These do not derive their title from the form of 

 their beak ; but we shall find it not the less remarkable, or less 

 peculiarly adapted to their habits. The nature of these birds is 

 to climb about trees, buildings, and other places, grasping firmly 

 with their peculiar feet, supporting themselves with their bristly 

 tails, thrusting their beaks under and into the bark, into the 

 fissures and rotten wood of decayed timber, and such places, in 

 search of their insect food. But to this end what can be more 

 adapted than the form of their beak long, conical, angular, and 

 wedge-shaped at the point ? And, in addition to this, some 

 families are furnished with very long tongues, capable of great 

 extension, armed with a horny point, and copiously supplied with 

 a tenacious mucus, wherewith they transfix and convey to their 

 mouths such insects and larvse as they have discovered. Some- 

 times in their ascent they tap the trees with their beaks to induce 

 the insects to come out, and to test the soundness or hollowness 



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