24 
USE OF THE TABLES. 
B Y way of showing the utility of the preceding Tables, a 
few instances, explaining the manner of applying them, 
may he acceptable. 
Suppose, then, that a person entirely ignorant of Orni- 
thology, finds a bird, and wishes to know its name or cha- 
racter. He will first turn to Table I., where the number of 
hind-toes appear as the distinguishing guide for further 
observation. His specimen, for instance, has only one hind- 
toe; he is then directed to the character of the anterior, or 
fore-toes, the two exterior or outer of which, in this case, he 
finds to he very slightly connected, and for a moment, 
without further rules to guide him, he might he at a loss 
whether to consider his specimen as belonging to the orders 
Rapaces, Grallse, or Passeres: the character, however, of the 
claws and beak will at once point out the propriety of con- 
sidering it as of the Rapacious Order, marked as Ho. 1. For 
further information, he is then referred to Table II., where 
the eyes are to he his guide. He finds them on the side of 
the head, and pursuing his line of direction, sees that it is 
feathered about the neck, and he accordingly turns to Table I Y., 
where the lower jaw, or mandible, as it is called, of the beak, 
is the distinguishing feature. This lower mandible, in his 
bird, is not furnished with either bristles or tufts like a beard, 
neither is the tail considerably lengthened out by feathers 
projecting one beyond the other, like the Snake-eaters, or 
Magpies, for example. 
Having proceeded thus far, his attention is turned to the 
first feather of the wing, which he finds to be shorter than 
the second. He next looks to the beak, which is not 
lengthened, and straight from its base, but is bent through- 
out, and hooked at the point. His bird must, therefore, be 
of the Buteo or Astur genus. But the wings do not extend 
beyond two-thirds of the tail ; it therefore belongs to the 
Astur genus ; and he has then only to ascertain the species, 
which he will easily do by consulting museums, or books 
with minute descriptions and plates. 
Again: a bird is brought to him, which, on comparing 
