INTRODICTroN. XXV 



Ili'j-lilv soiuisoriiil ; tail nf iwi'Ivc liiiiil Mi'iiniiiiMli' U'uiIum-s. whcrcor ilio 

 (iiilcr |i;iir lire slinri iiml >]iiiriniis, I'nin-calcil lirlwi'cn liases iil' iirxl two 

 iiaiis. liill sldiit. sli-aiuiit. witli tin- tip iruiicatf or uciitf, not. (Ii'cui-vimI, 

 — ail clliciciit rhisi'l lor liaiiiMici-iiiL;' and lioriiiir wood. Toiiu'iK! vcniii- 

 liirin, I'xiriislic,' and liarliiMl. Salivary ulaiids lariir ; livoidrau apparatus 

 peculiar. Nasal tiil'ls iisiiallv presoiil. Arlioreal. (Woodperkers.) . Picidtv. 

 h'e"i in'illier syiidaetyle nor /yjiiidaelyle. 



i''eet seniipalinale. ol' iioriiial ratio of plialaii,L,a's. Anterior toes eoii- 

 lieeted at liase I'y iiioxaM" welii'iiiL;'. Hind toe very siuall. elevateil, 

 seiiiilaleral. Middle toe prodiieed, its lai'L:'!' elaw peeliiiale. iiil! fis-i- 

 r(.stral, with very sniail, irianj;nlar. depressed horny -lart and ininieiisc 

 rii'lus, reaehinj,' lielow the eyes, runiislieil with hristles. Katlier larL;-e. 

 I'liinueje soli and lax. iniieli varieiiateil ..... ('(lun'iniilijiilw. 



Veet seareeiy or not seniipalniate. ol' I'reiiiiently alinoniial ratio ol' pha- 

 laii'j-es (middle or outer loi', or liolh. with I'ewer Joints than usual aiiion;_' 

 l.irds). Hallux very small, elevated. I're.Mlenlly lateral or ver-alile. 

 Middle toe not prodiiei'd nor its elaw peeiiiuite. liill niueli as in tin' 

 last, liiil rietus niiliristled. Small. IMiiniaLrc compact, of li'W sim|ilo 

 suhdued colors C'l/jiscliihi: 



Family oi PSITTACI. 



To eliaraelers of Pxillaci adil: Cere reallui-cd, concealiiuj- the no.-trils. Feet 

 f^ranular. rii^:-ose. Wiiius poinieil. Tail ciineate. I'lumanc coarse and dry. 

 IFeail I'ealliercd. Colors },'reeii, with \ ellow and Mile .... /'sillitcidar 



AsAi.vsis Ol- Fwni.iKs Ol RAPTORES. 



Feet highly raptorial, with larue, siroiii;', sharp, eurveil, .oniraetile claws, 

 adapted lor tjraspiiij.'. Hallux perfectly iiieiinilient, leiiLStheiied (more than half as 

 lonjj' as the fourlli toe), with laiye elaw. Front toes with sliiaht liasal \,'eliliinj; 

 hetweell enter or middle oiie<, or iio|ii>: outer loe dflcil leVcM'silile. N'osirils iiii- 

 pi'rl'orate. liill >horl, sioui, noi notalily eoniracle(l in iis eoniinniiv. with 

 str.iliL.'iy hooked lip; lomia ofieii oin'c-lwice loollied or lolied. Head I'ealliereil 

 ulioliy or ill c;i,.,iicst part. Lower larynx developed with one pair of niiisele.-t. 

 riiiiiiai;'e with or willioiit afli'i'-shal'ts. ('(cea present, as a rule, it' iiiit alwavs. 

 l'hy-io;_'iioiiiy peculiar liy reason of ercal laleral expansion ami leiejlliwise 

 .sliorleiiiiii;- 111' the cranium. cansiiiL;- the eyes to he direciecj forward. l\ves 

 siirroniideil hy a ili-c of radiatiiij,' hrislly fealliers. in front closely appressed 

 to ami hidin.L;- llie l.,ise of the liill. cUewhcre lioiimled hy a rim of dill'eri'lilly 

 formeil fealheis. Toliiia nexcr loolhcd or lolii'd. N'o-lrils usiiallv at tliecdire 

 of the ,-i're. ( Inter loe completely versatile, shorter than the inner toe. liasal 

 phalanx of middle toe not lonci'r than ihe second, and iniieh shoiler (hail llu" 

 next. Lees eonmioiily fcathcri'd or lui^lly lo or on ihi- toes. riiniiap> 

 peculiarly -oft and lax, wiihout alier— lial'ls : lli;jlit perll^clly nni<eless. Cra- 

 nial walls widely separated hy inlervcntioii of spoiiLiy dipknv .^ternuni 



comnioiily doiiMy iioli'hed. Cliielly iiocltirnal Sfn'ijiilii: 



i'hysioe-mimy imi pei'uliar in any lateral cspaiision of the cranium; i\u' 

 eyes lateral in dirci'iioii. X,i .■omplelc faciiil disc; liase of liill not hidden liy 



' Kxi'cptiiic; S/}/iiiriiii!i'i(K, in wliieli (lie tonfjiic is iml iiioiv piiidiisililc lliau in nidiiiary hirds, 

 '•* (liir species falls ratlicr in a ri'stii,ted I'aniily Ari<l,r, as distiiij,'iii>liiMl tVoiii Psilldcida' proper. 



VOL. I. ,/ 



