INSESSORES. 497 



like a kind of helmet. Both the beak and the appendage 

 above it are rendered light by the presence of numerous air- 

 cells. The Horn-bills are exclusively confined to the warm 

 countries of the eastern hemisphere, and are the largest of all 

 the Insessorial birds, sometimes attaining the size of a goose. 

 They live on fruits, and make their nests in the holes of trees. 

 The best-known species is the Rhinoceros Bird {Buceros Rhino- 

 ceros) of India and the Indian Archipelago. 



The family of the Corviiice, or Crows, is an extremely exten- 

 sive one, and includes a large number of very dissimilar-look- 

 ing birds, all characterised by their long, strong, and com- 

 pressed beaks, the tip of the upper mandible being slightly 

 hooked and more or less notched. In this family are the 

 Jays {GarrulituB) ; the true Crows or Corvina (comprising the 

 Rooks, Carrion-crows, Ravens, Jackdaws, Magpie, .Chough, 

 &c.), and the Birds of Paradise {Paradiseidce). These last 

 differ considerably from the ordinary Corvida, but can hardly 

 be separated as a distinct family. They are amongst the most 

 beautiful of all birds, and are entirely confined to New Guinea 

 and the neighbouring islands. They feed upon insects and 

 fruit, and are largely destroyed for the sake of their feathers. 

 The natives who capture them usually cut off their legs ; hence 

 the notion formerly prevailed that the Birds of Paradise were 

 destitute of these limbs. It is only the males which possess 

 the brilliant plumage, the females being soberly dressed ; and 

 in accordance with this fact, it is stated that the Birds of Para- 

 dise are polygamous, being in this respect an exception to 

 almost the entire order of the Insessores* 



The family of the Starlings (Sturnidm) is not separated from 

 that of the Crows by any important characters. Besides our 

 common Starlings, it includes a number of other more or less 

 singular birds, of which the Bower-birds of Australia are per- 

 haps the most pecuhar. These curious birds have the habit 

 of building very elaborate bowers, often very beautifully con- 

 structed and of considerable size, in which they amuse them- 

 selves and apparently make love to one another. These bowers 

 are wholly independent of their nests, which they construct 

 elsewhere. 



The last family of the Conirostres is that of the Fringillidm, 

 comprising the Finches, Linnets, and Larks. In these birds 

 the bill is stout and conical, with a sharp apex, but not having 

 the upper mandible toothed. The toes are adapted for perch- 

 ing, and are provided with long and curved claws, that of 



• The Humming-birds are thought to be polygamous, and this is cer- 

 tainly the case with the Whydah Finch ( Vidtm). 



