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Genus PALiEORNIS. 
The genus Valceornis, as characterized by Mr 
Vigors, is distinguished by having the bill thickish, 
with the upper mandible dilated, the culmen rounded, 
the tomia deeply toothed or emarginate, the inferior 
mandible wide, short, and emarginate. Tongue 
thick and smooth. Wings of mean length, the three 
first quills the longest, and nearly equal; exterior 
webs of the second, third, and fourth quills dilated 
near the middle, tapering towards the apex. Tail 
graduated with the two middle feathers slender, 
greatly exceeding the rest in length, with their tips 
rounded. Feet, the tarsi rather short, claws strong 
and falcate. 
“ The birds,” Mr Vigors observes, “that compose 
this genus, are at first sight distinguished by their 
superior elegance and gracefulness of form. This 
character is considerably increased by the construc- 
tion of the tail, the two middle feathers of which far 
exceed the reBt in length.” The different species of 
Palceornis known to us, are inhabitants of continen- 
tal India, its islands, and Africa, with the exception 
of the Palcc. Barrabandi, which is a native of Aus- 
tralia. They are held in high esteem for their beau- 
