498 



MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



Fie.' 196. — Head of the common Bullfinch 

 yPyrrlvula vulgaris)^ showing the Coni- 

 rostral beak. 



the hinder toe being usually longer than the rest. They are 

 almost all monogamous, and they build more or less elaborate 



nests. In this family are the 

 true Finches (i^z>«^7/a)j the 

 Sparrows {Pyr'gita), the Lin- 

 nets and Goldfinches {Car- 

 «'^i?/2j), the Wfiydah Finches 

 ( Vidua), the Grosbeaks {Coc- 

 cothraustes), the Bullfinches 

 (Pyrrhuia), and many others, 

 but their numbers are so great 

 that any further notice of 

 them is impossible here. It 

 may be mentioned, however, 

 that the Finches of the Old 

 World are represented in the 

 tropical parts of America by the Tanagers {Tanagrince), remark- 

 able for their brilliant colours. 



The only remaining members of the Conirostres which 

 require notice are the CroSs-bills (Loxiadtz), which are some- 

 times placed with the Finches, and sometimes considered 

 as a separate family. In these birds the structure of the beak 

 is so peculiar that its Conirostral character is completely 

 masked, and it has been looked upon as a deformity. Both 

 mandibles, namely, cross one another towards the tip, giving 

 the entire bill a most remarkable appearance. In point of 

 fact, however, instead of being a deformity, the bill of the 

 Cross-bills is a beautiful natural adaptation, enabling the bird 

 with the greatest faciHty to tear in pieces the hard fir-cones, on 

 the seeds of which it feeds. 



Sub-order 2. Dentirostres. — The birds in this section are 

 characterised by the fact that the upper mandible is provid^ 

 with a distinct notch in its lowermargin near the tip (fig. 195, D). 

 They all feed chiefly upon insects. This sub-order includes the 

 Shrikes {Lamidce), the Fly-catchers (Muscicapida), the Thrushes 

 {Merulidm), the Tits (Parina), and the Warblers {Sylviada). 



The Muscicapidm, including the numerous species of Fly- 

 catcher, are the most insectivorous of the Dentirostres. The 

 gape is wide and bordered with bristleSj and the legs are short 

 and weak. They are mostly sedentary, catching their prey 

 from a fixed point. 



The Shrikes are highly predacious birds, which in many 

 respects make a close approach to the true Birds of Prey. 

 They feed, however, mostly upon worms and insects, and only 

 occasionally destroy small birds or mice. 



