The Identification of Birds 151 
The Barbets (Capitonide) have feet like the Toucans, but a much smaller bill, not 
unlike a Crow’s. 
The Honey-Guides (Indicatoride) ave small birds with pair-toed feet, as in Barbets 
and oucans, but with short beaks either stout and finch-like or slight and curved. 
The Woodpeckers (Picide) have straight or nearly straight bills of only moderate 
length and thickness, used for chisellmg into wood; their feet have the outer front 
toe turned back, so that the toes are in pairs, except in some three-toed species, in which 
there is only one toe behind, the first or true hind-toe having disappeared. These birds 
spend most of their time in climbing, not usually perching like others. (Fig. 23.) 
The Hornbills (Bucerotide) have long curved bills of disproportionate size, much 
as in the Toucans, but their feet resemble those of Kingfishers, having three toes in 
front closely united, and one behind. 
N.B.—The Ground Hornbils have long legs, but their toes are still united, and 
their bills of typical size and shape. 
The Hoopoes (Upupide) have long, slender, curved bills, moderately-long square tails, 
and a fan-like crest; the feet have short shanks and three free toes in front and one 
behind. 
N.B.—These birds spend most of thew time feeding on the ground, but perch 
constantly also. 
The Wood-Hoopoes (I7risoride) also have slender bills, more or less curved; the 
shanks are very short, with three free toes in front and one behind, but the tail is long 
and magpie-like. 
The Pigeons (Columbide) have « moderate-sized bill of very characteristic shape, 
narrowest in the middle, with nostrils pierced in a soft swollen skin at the base; 
the head is small, and the shanks inclining to shortness, with three free toes in 
front and one behind. Pigeons are often chiefly ground-feeders, and some never 
leave the ground, but more are exclusively attached to the trees. (Fig. 24.) 
The Hoactzin (Opisthocomide) constitutes a family by itself; it has a short stout 
bill, broad short wings and a long broad tail; the feet have three free toes before, 
and a well-developed one behind. 
The Curassows (Cracide), including the Guans, much resemble the pheasant 
family, with short stout bills, powerful feet, with three front toes united by short 
webs, and short round wings; but they have a well-developed hind-toe and live much 
in trees, where also they build. 
The Passerine Birds (Passeride) form an enormous family, numbering half of the 
entire class of birds, and also remarkably numerous in individuals. They are at once 
characterized by their feet, which always have the hind-toe large and well-developed; 
this toe, taken together with its claw, being always larger than the inner front toe. 
The front toes are three and usually free, but the outer two may be joined at the 
base. The type of this family is the Sparrow (Passer), but the foot-structure is well 
exemplified in a larger species, such as the Jackdaw (Fig. 25). The Passerine birds 
vary enormously in size and structure of beak, to say nothing of shape and _ habits, 
although they are not hard of recognition to anyone who will take the trouble to 
note the peculiarities of foot-structure. A few birds outside the family, notably some 
birds of prey (Falconide) have also very large hind-toes, but will not be mistaken 
for Passerine birds. 
[The last part of this article, to be published next month, will deal with the Passerines.] 
