76 Classification of Birds. 



sorial, the Rasorial or scansorial, the Grallatorial or tenuiros- 

 tral, and the Natatorial or aquatic. The pre-eminent type is the 

 Insessorial, as it corresponds with the order Insessores, the most 

 highly organized of the class. The Raptorial or subtypical is re- 

 presented in its highest developenient by the Raptores, and cor- 

 responds to the Feline group among quadrupeds. Of the aberrant 

 types, the Natatorial or aquatic is distinguished by the shortness and 

 limited power of the feet, the broad obtuse form of the bill, and the 

 head being always large in proportion to that of the other types. 

 The Grallatorial or tenuirostral type is shown in birds, as in qua- 

 drupeds, by the length and slender shape of the bill or jaws : the 

 opening of the nostrils is also long and slit-like, and it is further 

 distinguished by great swiftness, either of wing or foot. The Ras- 

 sorial type is inferior only to the Natatorial in bulk. " Birds," he 

 adds, " belonging to it have the tail greatly developed, or of peculiar 

 structure ; the great size of the foot in all its proportions is another 

 characteristic, and the groups which represent this type in some 

 mode or other evince their attachment to man." A short review 

 is then taken of the five orders and their peculiar characters, 

 with a glance at the ■ analogies they present with Quadrupeds. 

 The three following chapters are entirely devoted to a useful and 

 interesting exposition of the external anatomy of the class, as it is 

 from the outward organization that he takes the characters of his 

 groups, illustrated with a profusion of beautiful wood-cuts, which 

 point out the various peculiarities of structure or form, in the differ- 

 ent parts of the body, and render easily intelligible to the student 

 what otherwise is frequently found difficult to explain, or convey a 

 correct idea of, by language alone. After enumerating the terms 

 by which the various external parts of the body are called, and which 

 are easily understood by a reference to the figure, he commences 

 with the peculiarities of the head as seen in the shape of horns, 

 wattles, or crests, of each of which he cites various instances and ex- 

 amples. The peculiarities of the eyes and ears are then adverted to, 

 followed by some interesting observations upon the tongue, which 

 varies in form and structure according to the nature and quality of the 

 food upon which the individuals subsist. Among those which have it 

 of very small size, we are surprised he should have omitted the cormo- 

 rants, in which genus it is very diminutive or rudimentary, and here 

 also it is indicative of a peculiar habit, as these birds, like the night- 

 jars and swallows, gulp or swallow their food entire. The form and 

 position of the nostrils next claim attention, and the remainder of 

 the chapter is occupied with the various aspects of the bills or jaws 



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