. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . France, Switzerland, and Germany; others spread themselvesover Turkey and the southern parts of Russia. In England it isoccasionally met with in Cornwall, Devonshire, and along theHampshire coast. It has been shot in the Mull of Galloway. InFrance it arrives in the month of Ma), and remains but a shorttime. As a rule it rarely ventures further north than the Southof France. The MoMOTS [Prionites, liliger) are birds still very imperfectly 488 PASSEEINES. known.
. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . France, Switzerland, and Germany; others spread themselvesover Turkey and the southern parts of Russia. In England it isoccasionally met with in Cornwall, Devonshire, and along theHampshire coast. It has been shot in the Mull of Galloway. InFrance it arrives in the month of Ma), and remains but a shorttime. As a rule it rarely ventures further north than the Southof France. The MoMOTS [Prionites, liliger) are birds still very imperfectly 488 PASSEEINES. known. They are remarkably massive in form, heavy and slowon the wing. They are placed by systematists near the Toucans[Ramphastos), from similarity of habits, and especially from thestructure of the tongue, which is in both long, and so muchciliated at the sides as to resemble a feather. The feet, however,are totally diflferent from those of the Toucans. In the Momotsthe beak is long, robust, and crenated at the edge. They arevery wild, and lead an isolated life in the thick forests of SouthAmerica, where thev build in holes in Fig. 203.—Momot [Prwnitts, bvv.). Tenuirostres. The Passerine Tenuirostres are characterised by a long slenderbeak, straight or curved, but always without indentation. Theyare insectivorous, and comprise the Hoopoes, Humming-birds,Creepers, and Nuthatches. The Hoopoes {Upiipa, Linn.) have the beak long, slender, tri-angular, and slightly curved. This group, which Mr. Graydesignates the Upupidce, includes a number of birds whose generalform presents the greatest analogy, but which possess their ownpeculiarities of plumage and special physiognomy. This hasnecessitated its subdivision into sub-genera, of which the Hoopoes[Vpupa), the Promerops (Brisson), and the Epimachus are worthyof notice. HOOPOES. 489 The Hoopoes are easily recognised from the double range ofplumes which form an arched crest on their head, which theyhave the power of raising at plea
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecad, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectreptiles
