ORDBE II. 



SCANSORES. 



The essential peculiarities of the Scansores, as already stated, are to be found in the arrange- 

 ment of the toes in pairs, (called zygodactyle,) two of them anterior and two posterior, although 

 one of the latter is sometimes wahting. If we include the parrots among the other zygodactyle 

 birds, there will be found two types of bill : one simple, as in the woodpeckers, the other, as in 

 the parrots, with a soft skin at the base similar to the cere of the Baptores. The tail usually 

 consists of twelve feathers, although but ten occur in some forms and eight in others. The 

 primaries are always ten in number. 



There is considerable diversity in the scutellation of the feet and legs. In the parrots, the 

 whole tarsus is covered with small reticulated plates ; in the other families, however, the 

 anterior half of the tarsus is usually provided with a series of large transverse scutellae, the 

 sides and posterior edge with smaller ones, either reticulated, polygonal, or quadrate. 



The vocal muscles are but little developed in the Scansores, and the voice, in consequence, is 

 harsh and without melody. 



The North American Scansores are divisible into four families, having the following characters, 

 as given by Burmeister : 



PsiTTACiDAE or Parrots. — Bill high, thick, and arched, the tip hooked, and the base with a soft 

 skin or cere, as in the hawks. The tarsi covered with small granulated plates. Tail feathers 

 twelve. 



Trogonidae or Trogons. — Bill short, broad, and encompassed at the base by long, stiff bristles. 

 Feet very small ; the tarsi with broad plates ; the inner anterior toe turned backwards. Tail 

 with twelve feathers. 



CucuLiDAB or Cuckoos. — Bill thin, usually slender, and rather long ; the tip more or less 

 deciirved ; the base usually without rictal bristles. Tarsi usually rather long, clothed with 

 broad plates anteriorly. The tail feathers usually ten, sometimes eight or twelve, all long. 



PiciDAB or Woodpeckers. — Bill straight, rigid, and chisel-shaped at the tip, the base without 

 rictal bristles. The feet are stout, and clothed anteriorly with broad plates. Tail feathers 

 twelve ; the exterior very small and concealed. 



9b 



