. Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and lower California, with which are incorporated General ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and Field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds. Birds; Birds; 1887. Fig. 45. — Zygodactyly foot of :i woodx>ecliur, pileatus, nat. size. Fig. 44. — Syn- dactyle foot of king- fislier, nat. size. one cither; seen in those perch
. Key to North American birds. Containing a concise account of every species of living and fossil bird at present known from the continent north of the Mexican and United States boundary, inclusive of Greenland and lower California, with which are incorporated General ornithology: an outline of the structure and classification of birds; and Field ornithology, a manual of collecting, preparing, and preserving birds. Birds; Birds; 1887. Fig. 45. — Zygodactyly foot of :i woodx>ecliur, pileatus, nat. size. Fig. 44. — Syn- dactyle foot of king- fislier, nat. size. one cither; seen in those perching birds which scarcc^ly use their feet for progression, but simply for sitting motionless, (c) The zygodactyle or yoke-toed modification has been suffi- ciently noted (fig. 451. It was formerly made much of, as a ncansorial or climbing type of foot, and an absurd "order" of birds has been called Scansores. But many of the zygodactyle birds do not climb, as the cuckoos; while the most nimble and adroit of climbers, such as the nuthatches and creepers, retain a typically pas- serine foot. The " scan- sorial" is simply one modification of the insessorial plan, and has little clas- sificatory significance, —no more than that attachiug to the particular con- dition of the insessorial foot {d) which results from elevation or versatility of the hind toe, as in some Cypselidce and Caprinmlgida;. This is an abnormality which has received no special name; it is generally associated with some little webbing of the anterior toes at base, which is a de- parture from the true inses- sorial plan, or with abnormal reduction of the phalanges of the third and fourth toes, as explained above (figs. 40, 41). (e) The raptorial is another modification of the insessorial foot. It is advantageous to a bird of prey to be able to spread the toes as widely as possible, that the talons may seize the prey like a set of Fig. 46. — foot of a liawli, ^ioc(^i^er cooperi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1887
