

Order II. PASSERES. Tribe II. Tenuirostres. Family V. Certhitve. 



The third Subfamily, 



DENDROCOLAPTINiE, or Tree-creepers, 



have the Bill of various length and form, more or less curved, and compressed on the sides to the tip, 

 which is usually entire ; the Nostrils basal, lateral, small, and exposed : the Wings moderate, and 

 generally rounded : the Tail long, broad, and graduated ; with the shaft of each feather prolonged 

 beyond the web, and acute : the Tarsi moderate, strong, and broadly scaled : the Toes long ; the outer 

 toe rather longer than the middle one, and united for some distance from the base ; the inner short, 

 and slightly united at the base ; the hind toe long : the Claws long, compressed, much curved, and 

 acute. 



Dendrocolaptes Herm.* 



Bill more or less long, straight, or curved from the base, which is broad, and the sides compressed 

 to the tip ; the gonys always long, ascending, or slightly curved ; the nostrils basal and lateral, with 

 the opening oval and partly closed by a membrane. Wings long, and rather pointed, with the fourth 

 quill the longest. Tail long, broad, and rounded, with the end of the shaft prolonged beyond the web. 

 Tarsi shorter than the middle toe, strong, and covered in front with broad scales. Toes long and strong ; 

 with the outer toe rather longer than the middle toe, and united for some distance from the base ; the 

 inner rather short, and slightly united at the base ; the hind toe moderate ; the claws long, compressed, 

 much curved, and very acute. 



These birds inhabit the vast forests of the warmer parts of South America. They are usually observed clinging to 

 the trunks and branches of trees, by means of their strong curved claws, and the rigid points of their tail feathers ; 

 examining the cracks of the bark, and among the foliage, for the larvae of insects and even those in a perfect state, on 

 which they principally subsist. In fact their habits and manners closely assimilate to the Common Creeper. The 

 female deposits from three to four eggs in hollow trunks of trees. 



* Established by Hermann in 1804 (Observationes Zoologies, p. 135.). Dendrocopus of Vieillot (1816) is synonymous. It embraces 

 Deudroplex, of Mr. Swainson (1827), Nasica of M. Lesson (1831), and Dendrocops of Mr. Swainson (1837). 



