DENTIHOSTRES AND SOANSOBBS. 
359 
insisted upon_, and of which we shall now give addi- 
tional proofs. In speaking of the various analogies 
exhibited by the climbing birds (^Scansores), we have 
shown in how many ways they may be represented. 
The correct series, however, appears to us to be the 
following : - 
Tribes of 
Perchers. 
Analogies. 
Families of 
Climbers. 
Dentiuostres. 
Bill short, hooked, toothed. 
PsiTTACIDiE. 
Conirostres. 
Bill conic. 
PiCIDiE. 
SCANSORES. 
C Ends of the tail feathers naked, hard, 7 cp.]iTHrAn.®. 
1 acute. 3 
Tenuirostbes. 
f Mouth smooth, bill slender, 
( rapid. 
flight j cucuLiD^. * 
Fissirostres. 
Catch their prey in the air. 
Rampiiastid^. 
That the parrots represent the shrikes, and consequently 
the Dentirostres, is quite evident ; and both these, it 
must be remembered, are subtypical groups. The per- 
fection of the whole order of perchers lies with the 
Conirogtres, — while the perfection of the scansorial 
structure is unquestionably in the woodpeckers : thus 
do the Conirostres and the Pieidee agree. The scan- 
sorial tribe however, is aberrant, so also are the creepers 
who, by having different modes of climbing, may be 
said’ in one mnse, to be even superior to the wood- 
peckers. The former can descend a tree with just as 
much ease as they ascend it; but the latter seldom 
dimb but in an upward direction. Rapidity of flight 
and very soft food are the two most prominent dis- 
tinctions of the cuckows and the suctorial Tenuirostroe; 
while the very singular custom remarked in the toucans, 
of throwing their food in the air, and catching it in 
their moutlis before it is swallowed, is the first and 
most remarkable developement which nature gives of 
the tribe of Finsirostreg, to which these birds unques- 
tionably lead. Such are our ultimate conclusions on 
the true analogies of this tribe. 
(298.) On looking, however, to the analogies of th 
Figgirostreg (a group which stands at the opposite point 
«f the circle of lmeggoi-eg), we find that although its 
A A 4 
