BIRDS i6i 



essentially an European bird, but is also found in South-west Asia 

 and parts of North Africa. 



1 8. Swallows are cosmopolitan birds with remarkable powers 

 of flight. The beak is short and broad at the base, the feet weak, 

 the wings very long and pointed, and the tail generally forked. 

 The food consists of insects, which, as is well known, are caught 

 on the wing. 



The three British species are the Swallow {Hirundo rusticd), 

 the House-Martin {Chelidon urbica), and the Sand-Martin {Cotile 

 riparia). All three have a wide distribution in Europe, Asia, 

 and Africa, while the Sand-Martin also ranges from the north 

 of North America as far south as the Amazon valley. 



19. Lyre- Birds, remarkable for the shape assumed by the 

 tail of the male, have no very near allies. They are only found 

 in South and East Australia. 



Order 2. — Picarian Birds (Picarics) 



This large order resembles that of the perching birds in many 

 respects, but is distinguished by slight anatomical differences of 

 too technical a nature to be given here. Most members of the 

 group lay white eggs in holes or other places likely to escape 

 observation. 



Among other families, those of i. Woodpeckers, 2. Toucans, 

 3. Cuckoos, 4. Humming- Birds, 5. Swifts, 6. Night- Jars, 7. 

 Hoopoes, 8. Hornbills, and 9. Kingfishers, may be more especially 

 noticed. 



I. Woodpeckers. — These are tree -climbing birds, in which 

 the fourth toe is turned back parallel to the first (zygodactyle 

 type of foot), while the strong chisel-shaped beak is used both in 

 the pursuit of insects and to dig out holes for nesting purposes. 

 The long worm-like tongue, which, covered by a sticky secretion, 

 is used to capture insects, can be protruded to a considerable 

 distance, and the related muscles and bones are specially modi- 

 fied, as will be described elsewhere. The young are helpless. 

 Woodpeckers range over the entire globe, with the exception of 

 Australasia. 



There are three British species, of which the best known is 

 the Green Woodpecker {Gecinus viridis), a form which is distri- 

 buted over most of Europe, and also ranges into Asia Minor 



VOL. I. 11 



