44 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



slightly prolonged, sometimes inflexed, mar- 

 gins of upper mandible at dilated part falling 

 deeply over lower ; tarsi short ; toes rather 

 long ; tail feathers soft ; plumage brightly 

 coloured. 



4. Family. — Woodpeckers (Picidse). Bill lengthened, 



straight, angular, wedge-shaped, compressed, 

 and more or less truncate at tip ; tarsi short ; 

 toes long, particularly outer hind toe ; tail 

 feathers stiff and pointed. 



The Wrynecks (Tuncince) have tip of bill 

 acute, and tail broad and soft. 



5. Family. — Cuckoos (Cuculidae). Bill very variable 



in size, generally more or less curved, culmen 

 sometimes straight and inflexed at tip, gene- 

 rally curved, sometimes elevated and keeled, 

 lateral margins of upper mandible arched or 

 undulating, emarginated at tip ; gape large ; 

 tarsi very variable in length, covered with 

 large, broad scales ; inner hind toe sometimes 

 furnished with a long spur-like claw ; wings 

 rounded, or long and pointed ; tail long and 

 rounded. 



IV. ORDER— Pigeons (Columbae). 



This embraces but one great group. The 



1. Family. — Pigeons (Columbidae). Bill moderate, 

 rather slender, soft at base, hard at tip, which 

 is more or less elevated and arched ; nostrils 

 covered by a soft fleshy tumid membrane ; 



