. Natural history. For the use of schools and families. Zoology. 146 NATUEAL HISTORY. feathers prolonged from the shoulder-tufts or from the tail. In the species in Fig. 120 (p. 145) there is a most bril- liant display of colors. The body, breast, and lower parts are of a deep rich brown; the front set close with black feathers shot with green; the throat is of a rich golden green; the head yellow; the sides of the tail have a long, full, splendid plume of downy feathers of a soft yellow color. The poetical story that this bird lives on dew, is, of course, false, and its food consists of grass
. Natural history. For the use of schools and families. Zoology. 146 NATUEAL HISTORY. feathers prolonged from the shoulder-tufts or from the tail. In the species in Fig. 120 (p. 145) there is a most bril- liant display of colors. The body, breast, and lower parts are of a deep rich brown; the front set close with black feathers shot with green; the throat is of a rich golden green; the head yellow; the sides of the tail have a long, full, splendid plume of downy feathers of a soft yellow color. The poetical story that this bird lives on dew, is, of course, false, and its food consists of grasshoppers and other insects, together with seeds and figs. 243. The Cross-bill family are distinguished by the crossing of the points of the beak, as seen in Fig. 121, and a horny scoop at the tip of the tongue. The bird uses these tools in obtain- ing the seeds of the fir and pine cones, on which it lives. The process is this: the points of the closed beak are insinuated beneath the scales of the cone, and then, by a sidewise motion of the mandibles, separating the points farther from each other, the scale is raised, so as to allow the horny scoop cf the tongue to dislodge the seed and carry it into the mouth. It can also, with its powerful beak, extract ker- nels from hard shells. It will cut an apple in two to get at the pips. When confined in a cage, it very dexterous- ly draws the ends of the wires from the wood-work, and soon sets itself free. There are three species of Cross- bills in this country. 244. The Horn-bill family are remarkable for the very large size of the beak, and for an extraordinary protuber- ance with which it is surmounted, as seen in the Rhinoc- eros Horn-bill, Fig. 122 (p. 147). This enormous bill,. Fig. 121 Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Hooker, Worthi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1883
