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I S T O

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V/ A

N I M A

L 8.

PART V.

Of B I R D S.

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B IRDS are animals, whose bodies are covered with feathersand which havetwo legs, two wings, and a beak of a firm, bony, or horny texture. They layeggs also, which are covered with a shell of a firm, crufiaceous substance.

As the genera, as well as the species of birds, are considerably numerous, itwill be proper to take the most obvious and distinctive characters for the arranging theminto closes, before we descend to the genera. The beaks alone afford sufficient matter forsuch a general distinction, and happily leave all the other characters to be used in the ge-nerical and specific distinctions.

The whole family of birds will be conveniently arranged, according to the shape oftheir beaks, into fix classes, under the names of i. Accipitres ; z. Piece-, 3. Anferes j4. Scolopaces ; 5. Gallince ; and, 6. Pafferes.

The Class of Accipitres comprehends all those which have the beak uncinated or hooked.‘The Class of Pica comprehends those which have the beak convex and compressed.

The Class of Anferes comprehends those which have the beak dentated or serrated.

The Class of Scolopaces comprehends those which have the beak subcylindric and obtuse.The Class of Gallince comprehends those which have the beak of a conic form, butcrooked, and the upper maxilla imbricated.

The Class of Pafferes comprehends those which have the beak conic and attenuated.

After the classical names have been thus generally laid down, it will be necessary, be-fore we proceed to the enumeration of the species under their several genera, to explainwhat are the principal parts from which the specific distinctions are drawn, and by whatwords they are expressed: these will occur more frequently in the names than in the de-scriptions of the species ; but as they are some of them such as the earlier authors in or-nithology have not used at all ; and others, such as they have employed in a very vagueand indeterminate manner ; it will be necessary to ascertain their meaning according tothe writings of the naturalists of these improved times.

The term Cera expreff'es that membrane or naked tunic, which is propagated frontthe anterior part of the head, and surrounds and extends itself over more or less cf thebase os the beak.

The term Urrhopygium expresses that part of the body, which is between what we callthe lower extremity of the back and the insertion of the tail. This we call the Rumpin English .

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