66 
NATURAL HISTORY. ^UPPER FLOOR. 
But one genus of the family of the Chatterers ( Ampe - 
lidce ), (same Cases,) is found in Britain ; it is called 
the Wax Wing (Bomby cilia), because it has a hard ap¬ 
pendage at the end of each of the secondaries of the wing, 
which have a great resemblance to a drop of sealing-wax. 
They chiefly feed on berries, and only rarely visit this 
country. 
The Conirostral Birds ( Conirostres) have a strong conical 
bill. They are divided into three families. The Finches 
( Fringillidce ), Cases Nos. 11 and 12, have short conical 
bills, and generally feed on seeds or fruits, as the Larks 
( Alaudce), which have a long, straight claw. 
The Buntings ( Emberizae ), have a narrow upper jaw, 
furnished with a hard knob in the centre of the palate. 
Case No. 13, the Finches (Fringillce), the Bullfinches 
{Pyrrkulce), and the Cross beaks ( Loxice ). 
The Starlings (Sturnidce), Case No. 14, have a longer 
beak, somewhat like the Thrushes, but more conical, 
as the Starling ( Slurnus ), and the Pastor ( Pastor ) ; they 
both live principally on insects and worms. 
The Crows (Corvidae), Cases Nos. 13 and 14, are gene¬ 
rally of a larger size, and have the base of their bills 
covered with rigid, hair-like feathers, as the Chough 
( Fregilus), the Crow ( Corvus), the Jay ( Garrulus ), Case 
No. 14, and the Nut-cracker ( Nucifraga). 
The third group, or the Scansorial Birds ( Scansores ), 
have short feet, fitted for climbing; they consist of three 
families. 
The Woodpeckers ( Picidce ), Case No. 15, have a straight 
robust bill, and the toes placed in pairs, two before and 
two behind; as the Woodpecker {Picas), and the Wry¬ 
neck ( Yunx ). 
The Creepers ( Certhiadce ), in the same Case, on the 
contrary, have the toes placed like the majority of perch¬ 
ing birds, and a slender bill; as the Creeper ( Certhia ), 
Wren ( Troglodytes ), the Hoopoe ( Upupa), and the Nut¬ 
hatch (Sitta). 
The family of Cuckoos ( Cuculidce), in this Case, have 
the same kind of feet as the Woodpeckers, but the bill is 
more or less curved; as the Cuckoo (Cuculus), and the 
Coccyzus . 
Jjastly^ The Fissirostral Birds (Fissirostres), in 
