ORDER SCANSORES. 551 



wish to attain an object without changing place, they have 

 the power of elongating this neck to a certain extent. 



The body varies in degrees of robustness or elegance, 

 according to the species. In the parrots proper it seems 

 thicker than in the others, which perhaps is only the effect 

 produced by the shortness, and the strength and solidity 

 of the tibiae, toes, and tarsi. Some long-tailed parrakeets, 

 on the contrary, are distinguished by the fineness of their 

 form, and elegance of their general proportions. The breast 

 of these birds is usually broad and rounded. 



The wings are short, and their point rarely exceeds one- 

 half the length of the tail, even in species in which the tail is 

 shortest. The first three remiges are the longest of all, and 

 pretty nearly equal with each other. 



There are differences in the tail, relatively to the greater 

 or less extent of the various quills which compose it, and 

 which are twelve in number. As to its total size, it is either 

 shorter than, equal in length to, or longer than the body, 

 comprising the head and neck. In form it is sometimes 

 straight or squared, when all the quills are of equal length ; 

 sometimes round, sometimes graduated, sometimes arrow or 

 spear-formed ; sometimes it is peculiarly broad at the end, 

 and some species have the caudal quills sharp at their termi- 

 nation ; sometimes the tail is very short, and at the same time 

 graduated, which is the case with many psittaculi. In some 

 species of this last division the upper tail-coverts elongate into 

 a point, in an extraordinary manner, and conclude by reach- 

 ing almost to the extremity of the caudal quills ; but this 

 character is rarely observed in those whose tail is almost 

 straight. 



Though the feet of these birds, as we have said, are robust, 

 and the toes well adapted for climbing, yet there are some 

 exceptions to this. In the pezopori, for instance, the tarsi 

 are elongated, and the claws but little crooked ; they accord- 



