198 Animal Life 
N.B.—There are many Tree-Starlgs which seldom come to the ground, and hop 
when they are there (such as the Hill-Mynahs (Hulabes) of the Hast), but the glossy 
plumage of these will distinguish them from most birds with which they might be 
confounded. 
BUSH-HAUNTING PASSERINE BIRDS 
With long legs and particularly short tails, insectivorous in habit. 
The Pittas (Fig. 7) (Pittide), which are widely diffused through the warm regions 
of the Old World, have rather strong bills, and the back of the shanks with a 
smooth uniform covering. The latter poimt and their gay colouring will in most cases 
distinguish them from some short-tailed Ant-Birds (Formicariide). They are insectiyorous, 
and build domed nests. They are often called Ant-Thrushes, but, unlike most of the 
families with smooth hinder shanks, differ anatomically from the thrushes. 
The Wattled Pittas (Philepittede), of which there are only two _ species, are 
confined to Madagascar, where no true Pitta is found. They differ from the true 
Pittas by having separate scales at the back of the shank, while the males have a 
wattle over the eye. They keep more to the trees than the true Pittas, which mostly 
live on the ground. In this, as in the last and the next family, the vocal organ is 
of an inferior type. 
The Dwarf Pittas (Xenicide) are tiny short-tailed birds, only found in New 
Zealand and Stephens Island. They are much smaller than the true Pittas (which are 
as large as Thrushes), and are often called Wrens. The Dwarf Pittas build in holes. 
CLIMBING PASSERINE BIRDS 
With long hind-toe and outer front toe, and the inner front toe reduced in size: of insectivorous habit. 
The Creepers (Certhiide) are small birds ranging over most of the world except 
South America. Their bill is slender, and may be straight or curved. They spend 
their time climbing up trees, etc., place their nests im crevices, and are usually 
brown in colour. 
The Nuthatches (Sittide) (Fig. 8) have straight and rather stout bills; their prevailing 
colour being blue-grey, or even blue. They are partly vegetable-feeders, and, unlike 
any other climbing birds, can climb downwards as well as up. ‘Their nest is placed 
in a hole. They have much the same distribution as the Creepers, and are sometimes 
placed in the same family. 
In the Wood-Hewers (Dendrocolaptide), which replace the Creepers and Nuthatches 
in South America, the climbing type of Passerine foot, with the long outer toe, reaches 
the highest perfection; the bill varying much in shape. ‘They are often much bigger 
birds than Creepers or Nuthatches, and are brown in colour, often reddish, especially 
on the tail. 
N.B.—This group contains many species, varying much in type; some are not 
climbers at all, but hop, and even run on the ground, like the Oven-Bird (Fig. 9). 
These forms have not the typical foot, but can be distinguished from Thrushes, 
Warblers, or other birds they seem to resemble, by having the shanks scaled at the 
back. The nesting-habits vary much, and are often most remarkable: as witness the 
Oven-Bird’s curious clay structure, and the great stick-nest of the Lenatero (Anwmbius 
acuticaudatus). 
PASSERINE BIRDS 
With distinctly short legs, usually flying more than they hop, and feeding on flying insects. 
The Flycatchers (Muscicapide) are spread all over the Old World, and are, 
generally speaking, uniform in habits. They have flattish bills, well bristled at the 
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