﻿CIRCLE OF THE IXSESSORIAL ORDER. 341 



the honeysuckers of New Holland, and the paradise 

 birds, both of which have the hind toe considerably- 

 developed; and all of them, at certain seasons, have 

 recourse to an insectivorous diet. The humming birds 

 lick up the minute and tender insects found in blossoms ; 

 and the honeysuckers (Meliphagidce) devour both fruits 

 and insects. The bill of the tenuirostral families 

 is generally very long and slender, while the nostrils 

 resemble a lengthened slit : they consist of the hum- 

 ming birds (Trochilidce), the sun birds (Cinnyridce), the 

 honeysuckers (Meliphagidce) , the paradise birds {Para- 

 disidce), and the hoopoes (Promeropidce). 



(280.) The Fissirostres, or swallow tribe, like those 

 birds which constitute the type of the whole, are emi- 

 nently distinguished by great breadth of bill, an enor- 

 mous gape, small and weak feet, and the incapacity of 

 habitually walking, or wandering among trees. They 

 live entirely upon insects, or other small animals, which 

 are seized during the flight of the bird ; so that the 

 feet are mere instruments for resting and supporting 

 the body. The representations of this type in other 

 tribes have all the foregoing characters except the last ; 

 great weakness of foot being the grand characteristic of 

 this group. The goatsuckers, or nightjars (Caprimul- 

 gidce), the swallows (Hirundinida), the bee- eaters 

 (Meropidce), the kingfishers (Haley onidce), and the 

 trogons (Trogonidce), exhibit all these characters, al- 

 though under different modifications ; and, by uniting 

 with the flycatchers among the Dentirostres — the first 

 tribe with which we commenced this rapid survey — 

 complete the circle of the whole order. 



(281.) Having now enabled the reader to form a com- 

 prehensive idea of the different tribes composing the in- 

 sessorial or perching order, we shall condense their 

 chief distinctions into a tabular form ; for the purpose 

 of showing in what manner they represent the primary- 

 divisions of this class of animals, no less than those of 

 the quadruped class. 



z 3 



