CHAPTER VI. 



INSESSORES (Perchers). 

 CONIROSTRES (Cone-lilled). 



WE come now to the second great division of the Perching birds ; 

 and having examined all those whose soft notched bill proclaims 

 the insect nature of their food, we have arrived at those exhibit- 

 ing a harder and more conical-shaped beak, bespeaking at once 

 that grain forms the principal part of their diet. As we proceed 

 with the families of this tribe, we shall see this typical charac- 

 teristic develop itself more and more, till we come to some species 

 armed with such strong sharp-pointed beaks as to be enabled 

 to break the very stoutest seeds and even the stones of many 

 fruits, as well as to pierce the hard ground, in search of food ; 

 but, as I before pointed out, nature makes no rapid strides from 

 one distinct kind to another, but only gradually and step by 

 step leads us on ; thus, insensibly as it were, and through many 

 connecting links, joining together genera and species, the most 

 opposite to one another in appearance and habits. 



ALAUDID.E (THE LARKS). 



We cannot have a better proof of what I have just said than 

 in the family we now proceed to consider, standing at the head 

 of the Conirostral tribe, and bearing so great an affinity in many 

 respects to the last family of the Dentirostres, viz., the Pipits : 

 for the Larks, though to a certain extent grain-consumers, yet 

 feed on insects as well ; and though they have a short strong 

 bill, yet it is styled by Selby and Yarrell Subconic, rather than 

 conical, proving the exact position they hold. 



