SCANSORES. 



219 



Tlie Parrots have been arranged under many named subdivisions, tlie limits of wbich arc mostly arbitrary, 

 thoun;h several very natural g:roups are tolerably distinct. 



First, among the species with square tails, we may notice the great Black Cocl<atoos of Au5U-a]\a.iCali/pto]ync/ius, 

 Vig.), large crested species, withbeakof extraordinary strength, and very deep vertically. Tlieir plumage is black, 

 i\itb some red or yellow on the tail; wings capable of vigorous flight; and food the seeds of the Euca/j/pd, 

 \^ ith the juice of which fruit their bills are generally stained. Attempts to maintain them in captivity appear 

 to have always hitherto failed. The subdivision Con/don, Wagleri, is barely separable. 



The WHiite Cockatoos {PltjctolophuSy Vieillot), the species of which 

 inhabit the Indian Archipelago and Australia, fall into two minor 

 groups according to the form of the crest. Their disposition is sin- 

 gularly gentle and affectionate, and several species are abundantly 

 brought alive to Europe, where they are kept with much facility. 

 Their singular antics and extraordinary grotesque movements are well 

 known to all. 



The F;f|uare-tailed species without crests constitute the restricted 

 Parrots (Psittacus) of several authors, and are found in the old and new 

 continents. They arc generally esteemed for the facility with which 

 they learn to speak ; and the majority arc gaily coloured : it is neces- 

 sary, however, to subdivide them much further. One group, termed 

 Nestor, is remarkable for the extraordinary elongation of the upper 

 mandible, which far overhangs the lower : it is believed to be employed 

 in hooking up bulbs; the members of tliis division are essentially 

 crestless Cockatoos, allied to PL rtaviciis, and are also natives of Aus- 

 tralia. 



The Love-birds {Psittacula, Kidil), compose a beautiful t^ronp of 

 species of diininntive size, wherein the tail is slightly graduated ; they 

 are found in butb continents, and are remarkable for having no 

 farcala. 



Tlie Vkwvs. rarroqnets iPald'ornis, Vig.>, hnve a very \o\'\'z, pointed 

 tail, and collar-like mark round the neck; they inhabit the Asiatic 

 continent and islands, where there are many species. 



Australia produces numerous lung-tailed Parroquets with more elongated tarsi, adapted for running on the 

 ground ; their tail-feathers are not pointed, and their colours are in general gorgeously variegated, and peculiarly 

 mottled on the back. They constitute the Platiiccrcus, \\g. and Horsf. Poh/lefes, AVaglcr, is aUied, with pointed 

 tali-fcathers ; and A'(/(»j>///c]!(.y refer.s to a small species related to the latter, but with tlie pointed crest of sonie 

 ('n<'Kat<M)s. 



The Maccaws {Ara, Kuhl ; Macrocercns, Vieillot), are long-tailed American species, which exceed all the rest 

 in sixe, and are superbly coloured. The more characteristic have a large space of naked skin on the cheek, 

 crossed by narrow stripes of short feathei's. This bare space is ^•"'iflualiy lost as they successively decrease in 

 size, and they finally grade into the American Parroquets (Conurus, Kuhl), one species of which (P.v. carolhu-itsis, 

 Auct.) is the only member of the Parrot group found northward of the tropic of Cancer. 



'ilie Lories (//07v'i(s, Vieillot), ^are oriental species with square tails, and dense soft plumage, the colours of 

 ■which are glowing in the utmost degree : beak in general comparatively feeble. Some allied birds are smaller, and 

 have graduated tails, but are particularly distinguished by their extensile tongue having a circle of papilke at tiie tip, 

 adai)ting them to feed on the nectar of flowers : they are termed Lorikeets {Trlchoglossiis, Vigors). Taviignaihns, 

 Wagler, includes some Lories with immense bills ; and Cori/p/i/lus, a number of small species, with slender bills, 

 thick skin, and commonly purple colouring. Finally, Pezoponts, Illiger, and Nanodca, Vig. and Horsf,, consist of 

 some beautiful and delicate long-tailed species, "wbich have also feeble bills, and tarsi somewhat elevated ; they 

 are known to seek their food cliielly on tlie gi-ound.-] 



Fig. 105.— Stcn 



Among the Climbers are commonly placed two nearly allied African genera, ivhich appear 

 to me to have also some analogy with the Gallliiacca?, and with the Curassows in particular. 

 They haA'e the wings and tail of the latter, [their tail, however, consisting of only ten feathers, 

 instead of fotu'teen], and like thum inhahit trees; their heah is short, and sujicrior mandible 

 bnlij;ed, [or compressed and inueb elevated ; the g;ipe remarkably wide] ; the feet have a 

 short membrane which connects the external and front toes, though it is true that the outer 

 toe is often directed backward, as observable in the Owls. Their nostrds are simply pierced 

 in the corneous substance of the beak, the cutting edges of the mandibles are denteiated, 

 aud the sternum (fig. 106), at least that of the Touraeo, has not those two very deep emar- 

 g'r'.itions eommou to the Ga/Unacea'. 



■"Here we have another insulated group, which also comprises the Colics (p. 201), the anatomy of 



, bvit tlicir uisUn^a^e cliai 



itii the requisite brevity. 



