80 
HISTORY OF THE PARROTS. 
many of them exhibit an elegance of form and grace- 
fulness of carriage surpassed by few other birds. 
The formation of the feet, which are zygodactile, or 
with the toes placed two forwards and two backwards, 
and, in all but the few aberrant species previously ad- 
verted to, expressly adapted and formed for firm pre- 
hension and climbing, evidently points to woods and 
forests as the appropriate and natural habitats of the 
race. It is accordingly in those regions where the 
trees are clothed in perpetual verdure, and where a 
constant and never failing succession of fruits and 
seeds (the common food and support of the tribe) 
can always be procured, that the parrots are found 
in the greatest numbers and profusion. Thus the 
recesses of the interminable forests of South America 
are enlivened by the presence of the superb Maccaws, 
and the nearly allied species of the genus Psittacara ; 
those of India and its islands by the elegantly-shaped 
members of the genus Palaeornis, and the scarlet- 
clothed Lories ; while those of Australia resounu 
with the harsh voice of the Cockatoos, and the shriller 
screams of the nectivorous Trichoglossi, and broad- 
tailed Parrakeets or Platycerci. In these their natu- 
ral situations, their movements are marked by an ease 
and gracefulness we can never see exhibited in a 
Btate of confinement. They are represented as climb- 
ing about the branches in every direction, and as 
suspending themselves from them in every possible 
attitude ; in all which movements they are greatly 
assisted by their hooked and powerful bill, which is 
