302 VKRTEliRATE ANIMALS. 



and grating voices. The beak (fig. 215) is hooked, and is used as a 

 kind of third foot in climbing, but some move about actively on the 

 ground. 4. The lihamphastidw, or Toucans, distinguished by their 

 enormously large and cellular bills, the sides of which are serrated 

 (fig. 216). They live in deep forests, in small flocks, and are con- 

 fined to tropical America. 5. The Trogonidie, or Trogons, which 

 inhabit the most retired recesses of the forests of the intertropical 

 regions of both hemispheres, and are distinguished by their resplen- 

 dent plumage. 6. The Barbets {Bucconidce), of the warmer parts of 

 the New and Old Worlds ; and 7. The Plantain - eaters {Miiso- 

 phagid(e) of Africa. 



Order V. Insbssores. 



The sixth order of Birds is that of the Insessores or Perchers, often 

 spoken of as the Passerine Birds. They are defined by Owen as 

 follows : " Legs slender, short, with three toes before and one behind, 

 the two external toes united by a very short membrane " (fig. 217, 

 E and F). 



" The Perchers form by far the most numerous order of birds, but 

 are the least easily recognisable by distinctive characters common to 

 the whole group. Their feet, being more especially adapted to the 

 delicate labours of nidification" (building the nest), "have neither 

 the webbed structure of those of the Sunvimers, nor the robust 

 strength and destructive talons which characterise the feet of the 

 Birds of Rapine, nor yet the extended toes which enable the Wader 

 to walk safely over marshy soils and tread lightly on the floating 

 leaves of aquatic plants ; but the toes are slender, flexible, and 

 moderately elongated, with long, pointed, and slightly curved claws. 



" The Perchers, in general, have the females smaller and less 

 brilliant in their plumage than the males ; they always live in pairs, 

 build in trees, and display the greatest art in the construction of 

 their nests. The young are excluded in a lilind and naked state, and 

 are wholly dei^endent for subsistence during a certain period on 

 parental care. The brain arrives in this order at its greatest pro- 

 portionate size ; the organ of voice here attains its utmost complexity ; 

 and all the characteristics of the bird, as power of flight, melody of 

 voice, and beauty of plumage, are enjoyed in the highest perfection 

 by one or other of the groups of this extensive and varied order." 



The structure, then, of the feet gives the definition of the order, 

 but the minor subdivisions are founded on the nature of the be.ak ; 

 til is organ varying in form according to the nature of the food, 

 which may be " small or young birds, carrion, insects, fruit, seeds, 

 vegetable juices, or of a mixed kind." In accordance with this 



