446 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —PICAEI^. 



suborders, not however insisting in the least upon the question of taxonomic rank, but simply 

 employing the terms coufurmably with my usage in other cases. The three groups may be here 

 tabulated, with remarks calculated to give an idea of their composition : — 



I. Cypselifoemes — including only the three families Ci/jiselidee, Gaprimidgidce, and 

 Trochilidce — the Swifts, Goatsuckers, and Humming-birds. They are birds of 

 remarkable volitorial powers ; the wing is pointed, and very long in its feathers and 

 terminal portions, though the upper arm is very short. The feet are extremely small 

 and weak, and are scarcely if at all serviccalde for progression. Tlie hind toe is 

 sometimes versatile (among the Swifts) or somewhat elevated (in the Goatsuckers 

 and some Swifts) ; the front toes are frequently connected at base by movable web- 

 bing (Goatsuckers), and sometimes lack the normal number of phalanges (among 

 Swifts and Goatsuckers) ; but the feet are never zygodactyle nor syndactyle. The 

 variously-shaped tail lias ten rectrices. One family (Humming-birds) shows tlie 

 tenuirostral type of bill ; the other two, the fissirosfral, on which account they used 

 to be classed with the Swallows. The sternum is broad, with a deep keel, entire or 

 doubly notched (rarely singly notched) behind. The syrinx has not more than imo 

 pair of intrinsic muscles. 

 n. CucuLiFOKMES * — comprehending the great bulk of the order ; in all, about fifteen fami- 

 lies, rather more than less. They are only readily limited by exclusion of the charac- 

 ters of the preceding and following groups. The sternum is usually notched behind; 

 thi' syringeal muscles are two pairs at most. The feet are generally short ; the dis- 

 position of the toes varies remarkably. In the Coliida:, or colies, of Africa, all the 

 toes are turned forward. In the Trogonidce, the second toe is turned backward, so 

 that the birds are zygodactyle, but in a different way from all others. Families with 

 the feet permanently zygodactyle in the ordinary way by reversion of the fourtli, or 

 partially so, the outer toe being versatile, are — the Cucididce, or Cuckoos, with their 

 near relatives the Indicatoridee or Guide-birds of Africa; the lihamphastidcc, nr 

 Toucans, confined to tropical America and distinguished by their enormous vaulted 

 bill; the Mitsophagid<c, Plaintaiu-eaters or Touracos, of Africa; the BucconidcB and 

 Capitonidce, or fissirostral and scansorial Barbets of the New and chietiy of Old World 

 respectively ; and the Galhididm, or Jacamars, of America. (The Ciiculida and 

 Miisophagidcc are by Garrod placed together with Gallinaceous birds.) In the 

 remaining groups, the toes have the ordinai'y position, but sometimes offer unusual 

 characters in other respects. Thus in the Alcedinidm (Kingfishers), and Momotidw 

 (Motmots or Sawbills), tlie middle and outer toes are perfectly coherent for a great dis- 

 tance, constituting the syiigenesious, syndactyle or anisodactyle foot. The Bucerotidcv, 

 or Hornbills, of the Old World, characterized by an immense corneous process on the 

 bill, are relatives of the Kingfishers ; so are the Todida, a group of small brightly- 

 colored birds of Mexico and the West Indies. Other forms, all Old World, are the 

 Meropidce or bee-eaters, the Upupidce or Ploopoes, and the Coraciida or EoUers, with 

 their allies the LeptosomatidcE , of Madagascar. 

 III. PloiFORMES — comprising only three families, the lyngida, or Wrynecks, with one 

 genus and four species, of phirope, Asia, and Africa ; the Ficuvmido', with one or two 

 genera and nearly thirty species, chietiy American; and tlie Picida; or true Wood- 

 peckers. The digits are permanently paired by reversion of the fourth, except in 

 two tridactyle genera, having no hind too proper; there is a modification of the 



* While the Cypseliformes and Piciformes are each of them well characterized and perfectly defined groii|is 

 of birds, tlie reverse is tlie case with the r«c!i/i/onn<s, — a mixed lot requiring to ho recoiislructed by exclusion of 

 some of the families here given as entering into its composition. Tlic Troyou'uhv have already been eliminated 

 by Sclater under the name of lltierodad uii. 



