94 



RAMPHASTID^. 



Beak various : legs moderate, formed for climbing, generally four- 

 toed ; the toes placed two and two, or three in front and one 

 behind. 



In a tribe differing so exceedingly in external form 

 as the present, it becomes very difficult to seize on 

 any marked character of discrimination by which all 

 the groups of which it is composed may be separated 

 from those of the adjoining tribes to which they are 

 allied ; however, this one may generally be known by 

 the feet being usually disposed in pairs, and calculated 

 for climbing, excepting in the birds of the fourth 

 family, whose feet are constructed with three toes 

 before and one behind, the latter being considerably 

 stronger and more robust than in other birds whose 

 feet are of similar construction ; but that family is 

 distinguished from the rest of the Incessores by the 

 structure of the beak, which is slender, very acute, 

 and more or less wedged at the tip. 



Toes placed two before and two be- ) C Psittacid^e, Leach, 

 hind, the latter not retractile: / c PicioiE, Leach. 



ToeSy three anterior and one poste- ^ 



, . , 1 1 # C Certhiad^, Vigors, 



nor, and scansorial: or placed f \ ^ ^ i 



i. 1 • J y S CucuLiDiE, Leach, 



in pairs, the outer hind one some- L } ^ xt- 



^ V. KAMPHASTIDiE, VlgOrS. 



times retractile Jr ^ o 



FAMILY L— RAMPHASTIDiE. 



Rostrum capite longius, maximumy hasi crassissimum, lateribus 

 aut integris aut serratis : lingua pennacea vel simplex : pedes 

 zygodactyli. 



Beak longer than the head, very large, with the base very thick, 

 the sides either intire or serrated: the tongue feathered or 

 simple : the toes disposed in pairs. 



