CIKCLE OF THE INSESSORIAL ORDER. 34] 
the honeysuckers of New Holland, and the paradise 
birds, both of which liave 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 {Meliphngidtr) 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 (^TrochUiilfe), the sun birds (Cinngyidre), the 
lioneysuckers {Mdiphagidai), the paradise birds (Para- 
disidce'), and the hoopoes (Promeropida:'). 
(280.) The F issiuosTRES, or swallow tribe, like those 
birds which constitute the type of the whole, are emi- 
nently distinguished by great breadtli 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, w'hicl'i 
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 (IlirnndinidfB), the bee-eaters 
(Mcropidce'), the kingfishers (Ilalcyonidm), and the 
trogons (Trogonidce), exhibit all these characters, al- 
though under different modifications ; and, by uniting 
wdth the flycatchers among the lientirostres — the first 
tribe with which we commenced this rapid survey — 
complete the circle of the whole order. 
(281.) Having now enabled tlie 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 
