[ 553 J 



REVIEWS AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS. 



Dr Lardner's Cabinet CyclopcecUa. Natural History. Natural 

 History and Classification of Birds. By W. Swainson, Esq. 

 A. C. G., F. R. S. L., &c. Vol. II. London, Longman and Co. 

 1837. (Continued from p. 461.) 



We now pass to the tribe Scansores or climbing birds, " compriz- 

 ing all those families whose feet are more particularly organized for 

 climbing trees, and whose modification of structure have been al- 

 ready so fally explained" in a previous volume. With the exception 

 of the creepers (Cerlkiadce,) the whole tribe have their toes placed 

 in pairs. The primary divisions are naturally arranged under the 

 families Certhiadce, Picidce, Psitlacida, Ramphastidce, and Cucu- 

 lidce ; and these, he observes, " collectively form a complete circle, 

 the junction of the last with the Ramphastidse being effected by 

 the great hollow-billed genus Phoinicophaus, and by Scythrops, the 

 Australian genus of toucans." The certhiadce, which show the 

 closest affinity to the Tenuirostres or suctorial tribe, are generally 

 of a small size, with a bill of slender proportions as compared with 

 other Scansores, but the hinder toe greatly developed. The subfa- 

 milies of this division are the Anahatince, with the tail slightly rigid, 

 but never acute, the outer toes free ; Certhiance, having the tail ter- 

 minating in sharp and often horny points ; BnphagincB with the 

 bill thicker, and tail as in the first group, Troglodytince, the wrens, 

 and Sittince, with a short and partially wedge-shaped bill, the toes 

 greatly developed in proportion to the size of the body. From this 

 family he has rejected the genus Upupa, Linn, which he now places 

 among the PromeropidcB, as the tenuirostral form ; as well as Ortho- 

 tomus, which we have seen him introduce as a scansorial type among 

 the Sylviance; and 3Iniotilta, winch, holds the same station among the 

 American Sylvicolae. The Picidce which, from their structure, he 

 considers to be the most perfect of the climbers, constitute the 

 typical division of the tribe. Of its minor groups, the subfamily 

 Piciance, or true woodpecker, has been investigated with great sue- 



