USE OF THE TABLES. 
25 
with the characters given in the first Table, he finds to 
have no hack-toe, and that the fore-toes are united by a 
membrane ; he rightly, therefore, concludes that it belongs 
to the order Palmipedes, or Web -footed; and he is directed 
for further particulars to Table XXYI. Thus he perceives, 
that as his specimen has only three front-toes, that its beak 
is not toothed, or serrated like a file or saw, and that its 
wings are very short, it must be of the tribe Brevipennes, 
and he is referred to Table XXX. Then, as the wings are 
feathered, and it has no back-toe, it must be of the genus 
Alca ; and he will have little difficulty, on referring to its 
colours, size, and a few other particulars, to ascertain its 
species. 
In the above references, the birds for consideration were 
a Sparrow-hawk and Puffin, species more or less known to 
most of our readers. One more, however, shall be added, 
entirely foreign. Its colour a brilliant green, beautifully 
mottled and variegated on the upper part, the lower of the 
breast and leg-feathers being of a delicate lemon- colour ; 
the size, rather smaller than a Thrush. On looking to 
Table I., the hind-toes are found to be two, and two before; 
it is therefore of the order Scansores, or climbers, and 
reference is made to Table XI Y., when, as its beak is not 
very large at the base, and not toothed, it must be of the 
Cuneirostral tribe, Table XY. On examining its beak, and 
finding it rather curved, with mandible rounded, and nos- 
trils projecting, there can be no hesitation in pronouncing it 
to be a Cuculus, or Cuckoo. And so it is : the Golden 
Cuckoo, one of the most splendid ornaments of the South 
African forests, and not uncommon at the Cape of Good 
Hope; and in such a gorgeous garb, little likely to be taken 
by an ignorant observer for a bird belonging to the family 
of the grey and sober livery-clad class of Cuckoos, peculiar 
to our northern latitudes. 
