108 — ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. — 
the Fissirostres. Besides, it is abundantly evid 
throughout the animal creation, that all rasorial grou 
do not possess the whole of those characters which be! 
par excellence to the type itself; for in the very ne 
tribe to this, we have the equally small sized Sylviada 
although they unquestionably form the rasorial divisio 
of the Dentirostres. “i 
(124.) The general characters of this family are too 
well known to every one at all acquainted with birds, t 
require an elaborate exposition. The sparrow, bunting, — 
greenfinch, goldfinch, all our little thick-billed birds, in 
short, form a portion, and give a very correct idea of 
‘the general character, of this family, certainly the most 
extensive in their number and interesting in their habits 
of all the conirostral groups. In general appearance — 
they may be distinguished as having the bill remarkably — 
short, very conic, and consequently very strong. In only 
one of the divisions (the tanagers), do we find that the - 
upper mandible is distinctly notched and bent over the 
lower. This structure is continued to a few birds, which 
border upon the group of tanagers, such as the sparrows 5 
a structure which indicates a mixed diet of insects and 
seeds. In some the colours are uncommonly rich, and 
beautifully combined ; but in the majority, and entirely 
among the ground finches, the plumage is dull and home- 
ly. Finches are dispersed over all the temperate, and 
-even in the arctic, regions of the world ; since, where= 
ever vegetation exists, seeds are produced ; and these are 
the chief, if not the only, food of the Fringillida. 
Neveriherless the different minor groups, as we shall 
presently notice, have different regions assigned to them, 
The feet are always perfect,—that is, there are three tog 
before and one behind, all of which are cleft to the 
base, — so that the birds may freely move both upe® 
the ground and among trees. 
(125.) The primary divisions or sub foniilin will 
now be slightly characterised. The typical group is 
that of Coccothrausting, composed of the hawfinches, 
