COXIROSTRES. 
W iTTi the PromeropidcB we closed that tribe of birds 
the members of which are exclusively organized for 
feeding upon the minute insects which infest the 
flowers of plants and trees, or for imbibing, by means 
of their filamentous tongue, the nectar of the flowers, 
and we now enter that which contains birds of the 
most opposite characters to those we have just been 
considering — birds whose individual faculties and 
organization are more varied or perfect than those of 
any other tribe ; who feed indiscriminately upon in- 
sects, fruits, and vegetables ; who perch upon slender 
sprays, and walk upon the ground with equal facility ; 
and soip.e of whom are the largest and the most ex- 
traordinary birds in appearance of the whole order. 
The bill exhibits a considerable firmness of structure 
and is more or less conical in its form ; the notch in 
the upper mandible is very slight, and the tip is rarely 
hooked ; in some of the species it is beautifully adapted 
for the fracture of the hardest seed-stones, or for ex- 
tracting the seeds from the most concealed recesses. 
The feet, in almost every instance, have three toes in 
front and one behind, and are of strength sufficient 
to become available instruments of progression upon 
the ground or amongst the branches of trees. 
By Mr. Swainson, the five primary divisions of this 
tribe are considered to be the families CorviclcB, 8tur~ 
nidcB, Fringillida, Musophagidcd^ and Buceridce, 
