NATURAL HISTORY. 
63 
ROOM XII.] 
Bearded Titmouse ( Calamophilus ), lives in fenny places, 
and builds its nest near the ground amongst reeds. 
But one genus of the family of the Chatterers ( Ampe - 
tides), (same Cases,) is found in Britain ; it is called 
the Wax Wing ( Bombycilla ), 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 co¬ 
nical bill. They are divided into three families. 
The family of Finches ( Fringillidce ), Cases Nos. 11 and 
12, have short conical bills, and generally feed on seeds or 
fruits, as the Larks ( Alauda ), which have a long, straight 
claw. The Buntings ( Emberiza ), have a narrow upper 
jaw, furnished with a hard knob in the centre of the palate* 
Case No. 13, the Finches ( Fringilla ), the Bullfinches 
(Pyrrhula ), and the Cross beaks ( Loxia ). 
The Starlings ( Sturnidcs), Case No, 14, have a longer 
beak, somewhat like the Thrushes, but more conical, 
as the Starling ( Sturnus ), 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 division, or the Scansorial Birds (Scansores), 
have short feet, fitted for climbing; they consist of three 
families. 
The family of Woodpeckers ( Picidae ), Case No. 15, have 
a straight robust bill, and the toes placed in pairs, two 
before and two behind; as the Woodpecker (Picus), and 
the Wryneck (Yum r). 
The Creepers (Certhiadce), in the same Case, on the 
contrary, have the toes placed as in 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 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 . 
Lastly. The Fissirostral Birds (Fissirostres), in the 
