270 CLASS AVES. 



eggs, in laying them on the ground, in being pulverators, and 

 in never perching ; also in their timid character, heavy, short, 

 and noisy flight, the rapidity of their running, in their fleshy 

 stomach, and in their size. Nevertheless, the differences 

 between these two genera are greater than the resemblances. 

 The tinamous do not go into the open country, and unite 

 rarely in pairs. The young, even when recently excluded, 

 run in various directions, and are seldom seen properly 

 assembled. They feed on caterpillars more than on grains, 

 and prefer uncultivated to cultivated lands. They also difier 

 in many points of conformation. 



These birds are clamorous, especially in the morning and 

 evening, and some of them during the entire day ; they are 

 not very sociable ; they are so indolent that they often remain 

 during the entire day in the same place ; tlieir walk, how- 

 ever, is lively and agile, and their course rapid ; the flight is 

 low, horizontal, and direct ; the deficiency of tail hinders 

 them from turning with facility when they fly ; they seldom 

 attempt this motion but when forced, and are very soon 

 fatigued by it ; they do not drink. 



Some species inhabit the fields ; others remain in the woods, 

 not quitting the most covered districts, but seldom fixing 

 themselves on trees. These last are distinguished from the 

 others by many attributes ;-^they fly less, and only when 

 disturbed ; they seldom go in this way above forty paces ; 

 they are also more distrustful than the others. We have no 

 farther details of any interest to add here concerning the 

 species. 



We now come to the last family of the gallinae, according 

 to M. Cuvier's arrangement, — that very numerous one of 

 the Pigeons. As these birds seem naturally to constitute 

 the passage from the passeres to the gallinae, we cannot help 

 thinking that their proper place wr.uld be at the head, instead 

 of the tail of this order ; the trutli is, that this genus has no 



