554 Classification of Birds. 



- cess, and its circle down to the subgeneric groups wonderfuHy work- 

 ed out. The Buccoince, containing the genera Asihenurus, Sw. 

 Picummis, Temm. Bucco, Linn, and Pogonias, 111. is another sec- 

 tion, and it is probable the genera Yun.v, Linn, and Oxyrynchus, 

 Temm. may prove representatives of others. The PsittacidcB, or par- 

 rot form the third family, and subtypical division. Of these curi- 

 ous and beautiful birds, he justly remarks, that, if any group in na- 

 ture be isolated, it is this. Possessing in themselves the strongest 

 characteristics, there is no bird yet discovered which presents any 

 point of connection to them. Approximations, indeed, are certainly 

 made tov/ards them by the tooth-billed barbuts, (Pogonias), but 

 there is still a gap which no genus yet discovered is calculated to 

 fill up. 



The subfamilies, as indicated by the genera;, appear to be the Ma- 

 crocercina, Psittacince, Plyctolophince, Loriana, and Platycercince, 

 under each of which he has in the Synopsis given the genera and 

 subgenera, which do not essentially differ from the arrangements con- 

 tained in the history of parrots, forming the sixth volume of the 

 " Naturalist's Library." The Rcmiphastidcs, or toucans, represent 

 the fourth family, a group remarkable for the enormous size and 

 comparative lightness of their bills, a provision beautifully adapted 

 for that excessive development of the olfactory organs which gives 

 them the most exquisite powers of smell. The genera recognized 

 are four, viz. Ramphastos, Linn. Pteroglossus, III, Anlacorynchus, 

 Gould, and Scylhrops, Lath. The cuckoos or CacuUdce form the 

 fifth and last family of the Scansores. This he divides into the sub- 

 families Cjicullijice, CorryzinarCrofophagince, Leptosomince, and 

 Indicatorince ; but as our limits will not permit us to enter into fur- 

 ther details, we refer our readers to the author's elaborate papers on 

 this group, contained in the third and fifth numbers of this Maga- 

 zine. We may, however, remark, that he conceives the necessary 

 union between the scansorial tribe and the rasorial order of birds, is 

 effected by certain species of the genus Leptosoma, The tenuiros- 

 tral tribe or honey-suckers, which he considers the most aberrant di- 

 vision of the insessorial order, are principally distinguished by the 

 structure of their tongue, which is always retractile and long, some- 

 times simply forked, but more frequently with the tip brush-like or 

 filamentous ; the feet and legs are generally small and slender, and 

 the bill in the typical groups is so delicate, as to appear to be form- 

 ed rather for the purpose of sheathing or defending the tongue, than 

 for seizing or grasping food. The primary divisions are thus named 

 from the generic types, Trochilidce, Cinnyrid<r, Pru^eropida, Pa- 



