268 ELEMENTS OE OENITHOLOGT. 



Suborder 2. CucuU, 

 Plantar tendons not free; spinal feather-tract not well 

 defined on the neck and not forked on the back ; oil-gland nude ; 

 feet zygodactyle. 



The family of the first suborder is MusopTmgidw, and contains 

 all the Plantain-eaters ^. Those of the second suborder are the 

 Cuculidce, or the family of true Cuckoos ", and the Oentropidce, 

 or the large-headed Cuckoos, and the Phoenicophainidm, em- 

 bracing the Bush-cuckoos, many of which are very beautiful. 

 Then follow the Pheasant Cuckoos (Neomorphidce), the Soft- 

 plumed Cuckoos {Bijplopteridce), and the Anis {Crotophagidm). 



The fifth order may be named Columhiformes, and contains 

 the two suborders 1. Columbm and 2. Pterocletes, with more than 

 370 species, the characters of which are as follows : — 



Order V. COLrMBIFOEMES. 



Maxillo-palatines not united across the middle line ; a hallux 

 present supplied by flexor Jialluds ; palate schizognathous ; 

 nasals schizorhinal ; basipterygoid processes present ; sternum 

 not perforated for coracoids ; oil-gland nude if present. 



Suborder 1. Golumhce. 

 Young born helpless and requiring to be fed for many days, 

 but not passing through a downy stage ; a special feather-tract 

 on a considerable part of the neck, well defined by bare tracts 

 and not split by a spinal bare tract ; nostrils close to margin of 

 mandible and covered with a soft cuticle, forming a large swell- 

 ing ; tarsus covered with large transverse scales in front ; csBca 

 present or absent ; mostly two notches on either side of 

 sternum, but the inner pair are sometimes replaced by fora- 

 mina and sometimes absent. 



Suborder 2. Pterocletes. 

 Young born covered with down and able to run in a few 

 1 P. 79. 2 p_ 85. 



