E. miliaria.

E. hortulana.

Group 3. Fringilla of Linné.

Bill conical, more or less thick at its base, but its commissure is not angular. They live generally upon grains, and are for the most part voracious and mischievous creatures.

Gen. 1. Ploceus, πλокɛνç, a weaver. The size

of their bill would entitle them to a place among

the cassici, did not the straight commissure of the bill interpose. The major part of the upper mandible is slightly embulked. The greater number of these birds, which inhabit the old continent, build their nests with great art, and interweave them with the fibres of herbs; which circumstance has induced Cuvier to call them by a name implying the nature of its texture.

Loxia Phillippina of Linné.
L. socia of Latham.

Oriolus niger, oriolus oryzivorus, corvus Surinamensis of Gmelin.

Oriolus textor of Gmelin.
Fringilla erythrocephala.
Loxia pensilis of Sonn.

Gen. 2. Pyrgita of Cuvier, vрyıra, passer.— They have a bill somewhat shorter than the preceding, conical, and only embulked at the point. Fringilla domestica.

F. montana.

Gen. 3. Fringilla of Cuvier.-Bill somewhat more arched than in the pyrgita, stronger and of greater length than that of the carduelis. Manners more lively, and their notes more varied than the song of the pyrgita. Fringilla cœlebs.

of this bird's bill, as to its actual admeasurement; if, for example, the length of the bill in this genus be four digits, and its largest diameter three, it will be found that the same parts in none of the other genera will have ratio of so small a majority.

Loxia coccothraustes of Linné.
L. chloris of Linné.
L. petronia of Linné.

somewhat compressed, arched above, and has someGen. 2. Pitylus of Cuvier.-Bill very large, times a prominent angle at the middle of the termination of the upper jaw.

Loxia grossa.

L. erytromelas. L. portoricensis.

flated, and embulked in every direction. Gen. 3. Pyrrhula of Cuvier.-Bill rounded, inLoxia pyrrhula of Linné.

L. lineala.

L. minuta. L. collaria.

Gen. 4. Loxia of Brisson.-Bill compressed; both mandibles generally curved, their points crossing each other, sometimes on one side and sometimes on the other.

varieties of this species, distinguished by their size

Loxia curvirostra. There are it would seem two

and their voice; hence we have the loxia curvirostra and the loxia hystiopsittacus of Bechstein.

Gen. 5. Corythus of Cuvier.-Bill embulked in every part, its point bent over the lower mandible.

Gen. 6. Loxia enucleator of Linné.-To this

genus we might assign the loxia psittacea of Latham; the loxia flamengo of Sparman appears to be only a variety of the enucleatore.

Gen. 7. Colius of Gmelin.-A genus very much akin to the preceding. Their bill is short, thick, conical, and somewhat compressed, and the two another in length; the feathers of the tail are gramandibles are arched without surpassing one duated and very long; their great toe has the faculty of directing itself before like the rest of the toes; their plumage is fine and silky, and generally of an ash color. The C. nayensis and the strictus are of the same species, as are also the C. erythrɔpus and the Capensis.

Gen. 8. Glaucopis of Forster.-Calleas of Bechstein. Bill very large, moderately long; upper mandible embulked, and furnished at the base with a fleshy caruncle.

Glaucopis cinerea of Latham. Completely black; about the size of a magpie; tail graduated. Found in New Holland.

Gen. 9. Buphaga of Brisson.-Bill of a moderboth mandibles at its extremity, which terminates ate length, cylindrical at the origin, but inflated in in a very flat point; this serves to compress the skin over in order to make the bots spring from their lodgements B. Africana

Group 5. Cassici of Cuvier.

Bill large, exactly conical, thick at the base, remarkably acuminated at the point; nostrils small, round, and lateral; the commissure of the mandibles in a zig-zag line. These birds are natives of America, and in point of manners resemble our starlings; they live in flocks, and build their nests near each other.

Gen. 1. Cassicus of Cuvier.-Bill ascendant upon the forehead and divides the feathers in a large semicircular notch.

Oriolus icterus.

O. minor tanagra bonariensis.
O. Phoeniceus.
O. Americanus.

O. leucopterus.

There are several other species of this genus found in the continent and islands of America, but the enumeration of these will suffice to stand as specimens for the exemplification of the generic difference.

Gen. 4. Dacnis of Cuvier.-Represent the Xanthornus in miniature by their sharp and conical bill. Motacilla cayana of Gmelin. In conformity to our definition of a genus, some other character must be looked for, though nature, by creating so great a disparity in the size, seems to have drawn a very broad line between this and the other genera of this group.

Gen. 5. Sturnus of Linné.-Differ from the Xanthornus in having the bill depressed towards its point.

Sturnus vulgaris of Linné.

S. Capensis.

S. militaris.

S. dudoricanus, alauda magna of Gmelin. Gen. 6. Sitta. Bill straight, prismatic, and pointed, with which they divide the bark, in order to get at the worms beneath it, like the woodpeckers, but their tongue is not elongated.

S. Europea.

Remark. It is observed by Cuvier that we cannot find a character which will accurately distinguish the last family from that of the corvi which possess the same internal structure, the same external organs, and are not to be discriminated from those of that family except in the general superiority size which gives them an ascendancy over them. We must, therefore, for the sake of convenience, be contented with laying down superiority of size as the characteristic of this family.

Family 5. AVES GRANDIORES.

Group 1. Corvi of Linné.

Bill strong, more or less flattened at the edges; nostrils covered with stiff feathers directed before. These are very crafty birds, enjoy a fine sense of smell, evince a general disposition to seize upon every thing that may fall in their way, and hide it up, though useless to themselves.

Gen. 1. Corvus.-Bill proportionately stronger than in the following genera; ridge of the upper mandible more arched; tai! round or square. Corvus corax of Linné.

Corvus caryocatactes of Linné.

Gen. 5. Temia of Vaill.-With the port and air of the pies, they have the bill raised, and furnished at its base with velvety feathers like the birds of paradise. Only one species known, a native of Africa, and of a bronze green color.

Group 2. Coracia of Linné.

Bill strong, compressed towards the end, which is pointed and somewhat hooked; nostrils oblong, placed at the ends of the feathers, and not covered by them; the feet are strong and short. Gen. 1. Coracias.—Bill straight; height exceeding the breadth.

Coracias garrula.

C. viridis of Vaill.

Bill straight, compressed, strong, without notch; nostrils covered. Cuvier ascribes the velvet-like texture of the feathers which cover the nostrils to the influence of the climate which these birds inhabit. The manifold development of these feathers, by a reflective operation upon the undulations of light, sheds forth a metallic lustre. A disposition to a curious development is exhibited in various parts of the plumage. Some of the birds of paradise have the feathers of their sides remarkably hackled and lengthened into pannicles which reach beyond the body.

Paradisea apoda.