91 
species from Africa, is peculiar for having a very long 
feather arising from the middle of each of its wings, 
The New Holland and South American Podargi, are 
much larger than any of the individuals belonging to 
the family of the true Goat-suckers. The family of 
Bee Eaters , (same Cases,) which are generally of a 
green colour, have long, slightly arched beaks, and 
long pointed wings; they associate in flocks, and fly 
like swallows, pursuing bees and wasps, which they 
prey on with impunity. They are only found in the 
Old World and Australia. 
The King-fishers (Cases 33 and 34) are generally of 
a brilliant blue, or green colour: they live on fish, 
which they catch by diving. The Humming Birds 
(same Cases) have long, very slender bills, and long 
tongues, which they have the power of darting for¬ 
ward, like the Woodpeckers, with great force. They 
live chiefly on insects, and one genus (the Spider- 
Eaters) almost exclusively on spiders. 
Cases 35—44 contain the Zygodactylous Birds. 
The Parrots (Cases 35 —37) are known to every one 
by their domestic habits; they are characterized by 
their short, hard beak, which is surrounded at the 
base by a naked skin, like the Falcons; and they 
have a short tongue, which is usually fleshy, but in 
a few, as the Black Cockatoo, it is hard and tubular. 
They are a very numerous group, and have been di¬ 
vided into many genera; they live chiefly on fruit. 
The family of Woodpeckers (Cases 38 and 39) are charac¬ 
terized by their wedge-shaped beak with hard points, 
by their exsertile tongue, and by the tips of their tail 
feathers being produced and rigid. 
The family of Cuckoos (Cases 40 and 41) have a 
slightly arched, compressed beak, and long rounded tail; 
they live chiefly on insects, and many of the species are 
birds of passage. In the Coucals, the claws of the hind 
toes are elongated, resembling those of the Larks. The 
Indicators live chiefly on the wild bees of Africa, and 
ROOM XIII 
Nat. Hist. 
serve 
