COLY. 



195 



GENUS XL.— COLY. 



1 Cape Coly 



5 African 



9 Panayan 



2 White-backed 



6 Indian 



10 Black-throated 



3 Senegal 



7 Striated 



11 Green 



4 Quiriwa 



8 Radiated 





.DILL convex above, strait beneath, short and thick, the upper 

 mandible curved downwards. 



Nostrils, at the base, more or less hid by the feathers. 



Tongue cartilaginous, shorter than the bill, and laciniated at 

 the end. 



Toes divided to their origin ; placed three before and one behind, 

 but capable of being occasionally varied, so as to have all in front. 



Levaillant says, that Colies live universally on fruits, not feeding 

 either on grain or insects ; form themselves more or less into com- 

 panies, and do not separate even during incubation, as they make 

 the nests in society, placing many together, one beside the other, in 

 the same bush, and they are said to sleep in numbers, close to each 

 other, suspended to the branches by one foot, the head lowermost ; 

 at that time appearing as in a mass, like a swarm of bees, and when 

 known to be on a particular tree, every one may be taken. They do 

 not perch like other birds, or leap from branch to branch, nor do 

 they even walk nimbly ; for resting on the whole length of the leg, 

 they drag the belly after them ; are very weighty, often fat, well 

 flavoured, and much sought after, consequently great destruction is 

 made of them by birds of prey, as well as by man, for food. 



The Coly is in general full of flesh, weighing more than 

 other birds apparently of the same size ; is scarcely able to fly 

 upwards ; for, when flying from the top of a tree, it seldom can attain 



C c 2 



