. The popular natural history . Zoology. 35'^ THE HOIiNBILLS. SCANSORES, OR CLIMBING BIRDS. A LARGE group of birds is arranged by naturalists under the title ot ScANSORES, or Climbing Birds, and may be recognized by the structure of their feet. Two toes are directed forward, and the other two backward, so that the bird is able to take a very powerful hold of the substance on which it is sitting, and enables some species, as the woodpeckers, to run nimbly up tree-trunks and to hold themselves tightly on the bark while they hammer away with their beaks ; and other species, of which the parrots a
. The popular natural history . Zoology. 35'^ THE HOIiNBILLS. SCANSORES, OR CLIMBING BIRDS. A LARGE group of birds is arranged by naturalists under the title ot ScANSORES, or Climbing Birds, and may be recognized by the structure of their feet. Two toes are directed forward, and the other two backward, so that the bird is able to take a very powerful hold of the substance on which it is sitting, and enables some species, as the woodpeckers, to run nimbly up tree-trunks and to hold themselves tightly on the bark while they hammer away with their beaks ; and other species, of which the parrots are familiar examples, to clasp the bough as with a hand. There are many strange and wonderful forms among the feathered tribes ; but there are, perhaps, none which more astonish the beholder who sees them for the first time, than the group of birds known by the name of Hornbills. They are all distinguished by a very large beak, to which is added a singular helmet-like appendage, equal- ling the beak itself in some species, while in others it is so small as to attract but little notice. On account ot the enormous size of the beak and the helmet, which in some species recede to the crown of the head, the bird appears to be overweighted by the mass of horny substance which it has to carry ; but on a closer investigation, the whole structure is found to be singularly light, and yet very strong. On cutting asunder the beak and helmet of a Horn- bill, we shall find that the outer shell of horny sub- stance is very thin indeed, scarcely thicker than the paper on which this description is printed, and that the whole interior is composed of numerous honey-combed cells, with very thin walls and very wide spaces, the walls of the cells being so arranged as to give very great strength when the bill is used for biting, and with a very slight expenditure of material. Perhaps the greatest development of beak and helmet is found in the Rhinoceros Hornbill. As is the case with all the Hornbills
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
