28 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
[east. ZOOL. 
rica, generally in flocks among the cattle. Some of the species have 
a peculiar habit of laying their eggs in other birds’ nests, as the cowpen 
oriole, red-winged oriole, &c. 
Case 68. The Weavers, which inhabit Africa and India, and feed 
on grain. They form their nest of interwoven blades of grass; as the 
Philippine grosbeak, weaver oriole of Africa, &c. The hawfinches have 
a powerful bill, which enables them to feed on hard fruits, &c.; as the 
haw grosbeak of Europe and Great Britain, blue grosbeak of North 
America, crimson-breasted grosbeak of Africa, ground sparrows of 
Galapagos* and widow birds of Africa, &c. 
Cases 68, 69. The Tanagers, which are peculiar to the New 
World, are remarkable for their beauty of plumage, and feed on 
grain, berries, and insects; as the red tanager and summer tanager of 
North America; red-breasted tanager, bishop tanager, golden tanager 
<of South America, &c. 
Cases 69, 70. The True Finches, which generally live in small 
flocks, feed on grain, and sometimes on insects; as the house sparrow, 
tree-finch, goldfinch, linnet, siskin, greenfinch, chaffinch, &c., of 
Europe, and found in Great Britain ; wax-billed grosbeak, fasciated 
grosbeak of Africa; cowry grosbeak, white-headed grosbeak of India, 
&c.; sea-side finch, yellow-winged finch, song-finch of North America, 
&c.; the buntings are found in the world generally, and feed on 
seeds; as the yellow bunting, foolish bunting, ortolan bunting, snow 
bunting, &c., of Europe, and found in Great Britain. 
Case 71. The Larks have the power of singing while rising from 
the ground perpendicularly in the air ; as the skylark, woodlark, &c., 
of Europe, and found in Great Britain; the bullfinches have very thick 
bills, which enable them to feed on hard grains and seeds; as the bull¬ 
finch, rosy-finch of Europe, pine grosbeak of North America, &c. The 
crossbeaks have the points of their bill crossing each other; as the com¬ 
mon crossbill, greater crossbill of Europe, and parrot-billed grosbeak 
of the South Sea islands, &c. The plant-cutters are inhabitants of South 
America, and are said to feed on vegetables; as the Chili plant-cutter. 
The colies are peculiar to Africa and India, and live in flocks, feeding 
on fruits, and are remarkable for sleeping in companies, suspended by 
one foot, with the head downwards; as the Cape coly, white-backed 
coly, &c. The plantain-eaters inhabit Africa, and live in pairs, feeding 
generally on fruits; as the violet plantain-eater, Touraco plantain- 
eater, &c. In South America the crested pheasant is found. 
Cases 72, 73. The Hornbills, which are peculiar to the Old 
World. They feed on fruits, mice, small birds, and reptiles, which 
they swallow whole, throwing them in the air and catching them in 
the throat; as the rhinoceros hornbill of Africa, helmet hornbill, Pa- 
payan hornbill of India, Sec. 
Cases 74—83. The Scansorial Birds. 
They are divided into several subdivisions: viz. 
Cases 74—76. The Parrots, which are inhabitants of all parts of 
the world except Europe. They live chiefly on fruits, and build in 
the hollow trees; as the racket-tailed parrot of the Philippine Islands ; 
Pennantian parrot, ground parrot, Sec., of Australia; homed parrot of 
New Caledonia; Alexandrineparrakeet, &c., of India; blue and yellow 
