420 CLASS AVES. 



SUPPLEMENT ON THE SYNDACTYLI. 



The Syndactylis, or second division of the passerine 

 birds of Cuvier, includes those only which have the middle 

 "and external toes united as far as their penultimate articula- 

 tions. The word has been applied by other ornithologists, 

 particularly M, Vieillot, to certain of the aquatic birds whose 

 feet are more or less palmated, and affords, therefore, an 

 example of the difficulties imposed on the uninitiated in 

 zoology by the various terminology of the professors and 

 masters of the science. Those who have bestowed a life of 

 severe labour in the praiseworthy investigation of animated" 

 Nature, seem too often blind to their own legitimate merit, 

 while they seek for reputation in the puerile invention and 

 application of new names; but, not to digress, suffice it to say, 

 that syndactyli, with our respected author and his followers, 

 means a division of the present order ; with other authors, 

 it means something else. 



This small division will be seen by the text to include only 

 the bee-eaters, the Prionites of Illiger, which M. Vieillot 

 calls the Bariphonus, i. e. the Motmots of Latham, 8ec. ; 

 the Kingfishers, with their sections ; the Ceyx of Lacepede ; 

 the Todies ; and the Horn-bills. 



In the form of the body, mode of flying, locality, and even 

 habits, there is some analogy between the Bee-eaters and 

 the swallows ; so much so indeed that in the neighbourhood 

 of the Cape, where they most abound, the Dutch colonists 

 call them mountain swallows. 



In addition to their generic characters, already indicated, 

 we may add, that they have one toe turned backward and 

 three forward ; and, that in common with the present division, 

 the outer toe and the middle are united. The tail varies 

 in shape, being square and forked in some species, and 



