*32 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
[EAST. ZOOL. 
men rounded, straight, or slightly bent, and advancing in a semi¬ 
circle on the forehead ; their wings lengthened and pointed; their 
feet are strong. They are peculiar to America, and live in flocks in 
the manner of the preceding sub-family, feeding on grain and insects, 
&c. The Agelaince (Case 67) have the bill rather short, thick at base, 
and completely conic, with the culmen rather broad and flattened at 
the base. They are found in North and South America, generally in 
flocks among the cattle ; these birds feed on small grain, &c. Some of 
the species have a peculiar trait of habits in laying its eggs in other birds 5 
nests. 
The family of Finches ( Fringtllid^e, Cases 68—71) are furnished 
with a short conical bill, and broad at the base, with the commissure 
not angulated. Their food consists principally of small grains. The 
Weavers ( Ploceince , Case 68) have large conical bills, with the culmen 
slightly bent and the commissure straight; their wings are pointed, with 
the first quill remarkably short and spurious. They are found in Africa 
and India, and feed on grains, &c. ; some seek for parasitical insects off 
the hides of the wild buffalo of South Africa. They form their nest 
of intertwined blades of grass; others form a single mass of a number of 
individual nests, which contain several distinct apartments. The 
Hawfinches ( Coccothraustince , Case 68) ; the bill short, very thick at its 
base, suddenly ending in a point at the tip, which is entire ; their wings 
without a spurious quill. Their powerful bill allows them to feed on 
hard fruits and grains, &c. The Tanagers ( Tanagrince , Cases 68 and 69) 
have conical bills that are triangular at the base, and with the culmen 
more or less arched, with the tip more or less emarginated; their wings 
are short. They are peculiar to the New World ; some are remarkable 
for their beauty of plumage ; they resemble the Finches in habits and 
feed on grain, berries, and insects. The Finches ( Fringillince , Cases 
69 and 70) have the bills short, conical, and pointed, with the culmen 
straight and the tip generally entire. They feed generally in snptl! 
flocks on grain, and occasionally on insects. Some species possess a 
pleasing song. The Buntings ( Emberizince , Case 70) have the bill 
short, conic, with a straight culmen, and the sides compressed; the palate 
armed with a hard tubercle. Their food consists of seeds and some¬ 
times insects, which they seek for in w r oods and gardens. The Larks 
( Alaudince , Case 71) have straight, short, conic bills, and both man¬ 
dibles of equal length; their hind claw is lengthened and nearly straight. 
They are granivorous and pulverators, and have the power of singing 
while rising from the ground perpendicularly in the air. The Bui- 
finches ( Pyrrhulince , Case 71). Their bills are very thick, with the 
culmen arched and convex; their wings are somewhat rounded, with 
the first four quills nearly equal and longest. They are found in both 
hemispheres; they feed on hard seeds and grains. The Crossbeaks 
( Loxince ,, Case 71) have the mandibles much compressed, strongly 
curved, and their points cross'each other. Those of Europe feed on 
the seeds extracted from the pine-cones. The Plant-cutters ( Phytoto - 
mince, Case 71) have the margins of their short bills serrated, They 
inhabit South America, and are said to feed on vegetables. 
The family of Colies ( Colidje, Case 71) have short, swollen and 
compressed bills; their wings short, their tail very long and pointed, their 
tarsi scutellated, with all their toes sometimes placed forwards. They are 
