92 
NATURAL HISTORY. [EAST. ZOOL. 
prey on with impunity. They are only found in the Old 
World and Australia. 
In the other groups of this division the outer toes are 
generally shorter than the middle one, and they are only 
connected together to the base of the first joint. 
The Tenuirostral Birds have slender, compressed, 
and frequently arched bills, and their tongue is often 
divided at the tip into numerous filaments, and is used for 
sucking up the honey from the nectaries of flowers. The 
hind toes and claws are generally much larger than the 
rest. They are chiefly confined to warm climates. 
The family of Hqpoes ( Upupidce , Case 43) have an 
elongated curved beak, with the nostrils covered with fea¬ 
thers, directed forwards. They have much the habit and 
appearance of the Crows. The Hopoes live on insects 
and fruit, and the Promerops upon the honey of flowers. 
The family of Sun Birds ( Nectarinidce , Case 43), from 
Africa and India, have the bill arched and finely toothed on 
the edge: the Hook-bill derives its name from the sin¬ 
gularly curved form of its beak. 
The familv of Humming Birds ( Trochilidce , Case 44) 
have long, very slender bills, and long tongues, which they 
have the power of darting forward with great force, like 
the Woodpeckers. They prey chiefly on insects, and one 
genus (the Spider-Eaters), almost exclusively on spiders. 
Their small size and brilliant plumage have long rendered 
them celebrated. 
The family of Honeysuckers ( Meliphagidce , Case 45), 
which are peculiar to New Holland and the neighbouring 
islands, are generally of a dull black or olive colour, 
with compressed subulate beaks. 
The family of Creepers ( Certhiadce , Cases 16 and 47) are 
generally of a dull brown colour, and agree in many cha¬ 
racters with the Insectivorous Birds, especially the 
Warblers. Some have rounded tails, as the Anabcites; 
others have the ends of the tail feathers and the webs on 
each side of them rigid like the Woodpeckers, and use 
them in the same manner to support their bodies v*hile 
they peck at the insects on the bark of trees; as the Den - 
drocolaptes and Creeper ( Certliia ). 
The Tooth-Billed passerine Birds (Dentirostres, 
Cases 48—61), like the Noble Birds of Prey, have a 
