. On the natural history and classification of birds . o the external characters, the bill, in mostinstances, is more or less conical, and slightly notched{fig. 1. &), while the feet are well developed: but thereare so many variations, thatit will be necessary to enterinto further particularswhen we come to enume-rate the orders and tribes,(11.) The Raptorial,or sub-typical form, has theupper mandible much morehooked; and, in a largeproportion of the groups, there is a deep notch near thetip on each side, by which a process, performing theoffice of a tooth, is produced. (Fig. 1. a.) Carnivorou
. On the natural history and classification of birds . o the external characters, the bill, in mostinstances, is more or less conical, and slightly notched{fig. 1. &), while the feet are well developed: but thereare so many variations, thatit will be necessary to enterinto further particularswhen we come to enume-rate the orders and tribes,(11.) The Raptorial,or sub-typical form, has theupper mandible much morehooked; and, in a largeproportion of the groups, there is a deep notch near thetip on each side, by which a process, performing theoffice of a tooth, is produced. (Fig. 1. a.) Carnivoroushabits especially belong to this type, which correspondsto the Feline order among quadrupeds. Its highestdevelopment is seen in birds of prey, Raptores, wherethe claws of the toes are also retractile, like those of thecats (Felines). (12.) The aberrant types come next. Of the indica-tions of the Natatorial, or aquatic structure, the twowhich are most universal are the shortness and limitedpower of the feet, and the broad obtuse form of the 10 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. The head is always large in proportion to that of othertypes; and these birds either actually live upon the sur-face, or habitually frequent the vicinity, of the are well distinguished from those of the next, orgrallatorial type, by the excessive width of their mouth,— a formation admirably adapted to the manner in whichthey feed, which is almost always, like swallows, uponthe wing: this peculiarity, indeed, belongs to no othertype. The tail is generally very short, and great bulkof body is a frequent accompaniment of the natatorialstructure; witness the gigantic albatross, the pelicans,and the penguins, while the ostrich and the cassowaries,although not swimmers, are, nevertheless, the natatorialtypes of the gallinaceous order. The powers of flightare much diversified, but they are, in general, verygreat; instances of this swiftness occur in the swallows,petrels, flycatchers, and many o
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookidonnaturalh, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1836
