A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Science
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Birds -- North America
First primary lengthened, often longest, at least over two thirds
as long as the longest. Bill broad at the base, much depressed,
tapering to a fine point, which is abruptly decurved; culmen
rounded or flattened; gonys flattened; commissure straight, or
nearly so, to the tip. Nostrils small, circular, basal; overhung,
but not concealed by bristles. Mouth capacious, with broad and
deeply fissured rictus, beset with numerous long strong bristles.
Feet small, weak. Tail of twelve feathers … _Tyrannidæ_.
ANALYSIS OF THE FAMILIES OF PICARIÆ.
Secondaries only six.
Bill tenuirostral, longer than head, nearly cylindrical. Gape
constricted. Tongue filiform, extensile, bi-tubular. Wings long
in terminal portion, abbreviated proximally, acute. Plumage
compact, of metallic sheen. Size smallest of all birds.
(Humming-Birds.) … _Trochilidæ._
Secondaries more than six.
Feet syndactyle by connation of outer and middle toes.
Outer toe much longer than the inner, united for half its
length with the middle, forming a broad sole. Tibiæ naked
below. Bill longer than head, straight, acute, with hard
cutting edges and ample rictus. Tongue rudimentary, fixed.
Wings pointed, much longer than the short square tail.
Tail-feathers twelve. Plumage compact, oily. (Kingfishers.) …
_Alcedinidæ._
Feet zygodactyle[18] by reversion of outer or fourth toe.
Not scansorial; tail of eight or ten long soft feathers. Bill
with decurved tip, not fitted for hammering; rictus ample.
Tongue not extensile nor vermiform nor barbed. Salivary
glands and hyoidean apparatus not peculiar. No nasal tufts of
feathers. Arboreal and terrestrial. (Cuckoos.) … _Cuculidæ._
Highly scansorial; tail of twelve rigid acuminate feathers,
whereof the outer pair are short and spurious, concealed
between bases of next two pairs. Bill stout, straight, with
the tip truncate or acute, not decurved,—an efficient chisel
for hammering and boring wood. Tongue vermiform,
extensile,[19] and barbed. Salivary glands large; hyoidean
apparatus peculiar. Nasal tufts usually present. Arboreal.
(Woodpeckers.) … _Picidæ._
Feet neither syndactyle nor zygodactyle.
Feet semipalmate, of normal ratio of phalanges. Anterior toes
connected at base by movable webbing. Hind toe very small,
elevated, semilateral. Middle toe produced, its large claw
pectinate. Bill fissirostral, with very small, triangular,
depressed horny part and immense rictus, reaching below the
eyes, furnished with bristles. Rather large. Plumage soft and
lax, much variegated … _Caprimulgidæ_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account