392 



BRITISH BIEDS. 



terest to us, as they contain most of our domesticated birds, such 

 as the Fowls, Turkeys, Guinea-fowls, and Pea-hens. Our game- 

 birds also belong to the Easores — the Partridges, Pheasant, 

 Grouse, and Blackcock. These have all a convex-vaulted upper 

 beak, with the nostrils pierced in a membrane close to the base 

 of the beak, and covered by a cartilaginous scale. The legs 

 are strong in the most typical forms, and always with feathers 

 down to the tibio-metatarsal joint. The four toes, of which 

 three are directed forward and one behind, are all armed with 



thick claws for scratching (fig. 

 221). The males differ, as a 

 rule, very much in plumage 

 from the females, a distinction 

 recognisable in most genera ; 

 they also have a "spur" on 

 the metatarsus. The food of 

 the scratching birds consists 

 of grain, seeds, and insects, &c. 

 They are provided with a strong 

 muscular gizzard for grinding 

 the hard food. jMost Easores 

 build on the ground, the female 

 or hen bird generally only tak- 

 ing part in the incubation. 

 The young are precocious, and 



Fig. 22].— Foot if GiLLiNA<:Eous Bied. . 



can feed almost as soon as they 

 have escaped from the egg-shell. "With the exception of the 

 partridges and grouse the flight is very weak, — even the two 

 mentioned cannot fly for any length of time. There is usually 

 a fleshy comb or crest of feathers, and often naked and bril- 

 liantly coloured patches, on the small head. "We never find, as 

 in the Doves, a " cere " at the base of the bill. 



The two families of the Gallinse are the Pliagianidir and 

 Ti'frao7iidte. 



