NATURAL HISTORY. 
35 
GALLERY.] 
tophagince, Case 8*2) have a short more or less compressed bill, with a 
naked space round the eyes. Some species are found on the ground 
seeking for insects, &c., and others on the loftiest trees, where they search 
for the same kind of food. The Cuckoos ( Cuculince, Case 83) have 
the bill slender, culmen arched, and the sides compressed ; their wings 
lengthened and pointed ; their tarsi very short and partly concealed by 
feathers. They are inhabitants of the warmer parts of both hemi¬ 
spheres ; their food consists of insects, snails, and fruits. The true 
cuckoos deposit their eggs in the nests of small birds, leaving them 
to the care of the foster parent to hatch and bring it up with their own 
brood. Should the nest prove too small for all, the young cuckoo turns 
out one or two of its helpless companions. Other species, however, 
build nests and rear their young; these are inhabitants of North 
America. 
II. The second section contains the gallinaceous, wading, and aquatic 
birds, which generally build their nests on the ground, have their young 
hatched with their eyes open, and covered with soft downy feathers; 
most of them walk about to collect their own food as soon as they quit 
the shell. 
The family of Pigeons (Columbdl®, Cases 84—88) have their feet 
vand tail formed like the perching birds, but the base of the upper man - 
dible is covered with a soft, tumid membrane, in which the nostrils are 
pierced. The Tree Pigeons ( Trerorrince, Case 84) have the bill short, 
convex above, and hooked at the tip; their wings lengthened and 
pointed; their tarsi short, and the toes free at base and broad beneath. 
They are found in Asia, Africa, and Australia, where they reside in 
woods, feeding on fruits and berries. The Pigeons ( Columbida , Cases 
85—87) have the bill rather long and slender, compressed and slightly 
hooked at the tip ; their wings moderate and pointed ; their tarsi mo¬ 
derate, with the toes lengthened. These birds are inhabitants of most 
parts of the world; their food consists of grain and seeds. The Ground 
Doves ( Gourince , Case 88) have the bill lengthened and straight and 
slender; their wings short and rounded, with the tarsi generally long 
and slender as well as the toes. Mostly found on the ground seeking 
for grains and seeds, in most parts of both hemispheres. 
The Gallinaceous Birds ( Gallince, Linn ., Cases 84—106) have 
long muscular legs, well adapted to walking, short wings, and blunt claws. 
They live chiefly on the ground, laying their eggs on the earth ; the 
males are generally polygamous. 
The family of Curassows (CRACiDiE, Cases 89 and 90) are peculiar 
to tropical America, living in the woods, building in the trees, and 
easily tamed. They have the base of the beak surrounded with a soft 
skin, a large rounded tail, composed of broad rigid feathers, and their 
windpipe is very variously twisted. The Penelope^ ( Penelopince , 
Case 89) have a slender bill, broad at the base, curved and gibbose at 
the tip; their orbits and throat are more or less naked. These birds 
are peculiar to South America, where they live in small flocks on such 
trees as they frequent for the sake of the fruits, at other times searching 
the ground for worms, insects, &e. The Curassows ( Cracince, Case 90) 
have the bill short, much arched from the base, compressed; their or¬ 
bits and cheeks more or less naked. These birds are very numerous in 
