PICIDiE, 



147 



FAMILY III.-PICIDiE. 



Rostrum basi plumosum ant vibrissis ornatmn, magis minusve 

 crassum aut subgrac'ile, rectum vel arcuatum, marginibus inter- 

 dum dentatis : lingua gracilis : pedes zygodactyli, aut tridac- 

 tyli. 



Beak plumose or furnished with bristles at its base, more or less 

 stout, or somewhat slender, straight or bent, the margins some- 

 times dentated : tongue slender : toes disposed in pairs, or three 

 only. 



These birds are climbers par excellence, and sport 

 about in all positions on the trunks and among the 

 branches of trees, in search of insects or their larvae, 

 upon which they feed ; some of them are said to 

 devour also small birds and fruits : the typical genera 

 however appear confined to the former food, and 

 their tongue is armed with recurved spines at the tip, 

 and supplied with a viscid fluid. None of the family 

 inhabit New Holland ; their place appears to be sup- 

 plied by the numerous race of Meliphagidae and Cer- 

 thiadse. 



GENUS CCXXII.— POGONIAS, Illiger. BARBICAN- 



nostrum basi vibrissis elon- 

 gatis ornatum, magnum, 

 crassum ; mandihula su- 

 perior bidentata, persaspe 

 longitudinaliter canalicu- 

 lata et inferior transverse 

 sulcata. 



Naves basales, laterales, basi 

 vibrissis rieidis tectae. 



Beak furnished at the base 

 with elongate bristles, 

 large, thick : the upper 

 mandible bidentate, and 

 often longitudinally chan- 

 nelled, with the lower 

 transversely sulcated. 



Nostrilsha.?,si\., lateral, clothed 

 with rigid bristles at the 

 base. 



