. On the natural history and classification of birds . the sizeof the bird, and are calculated only, like those of theAmpelidcB, for perching. All these characters notonly point out this genus as of the fissirostral type,but perfect the union of the families of Muscicapidceand Ampelidte. * Le Vaill. Nat. Hist. dOiseaux de LAmerique, p. 144. 92 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. CHAP. VIII. ON THE CONIROSTRES, OR CONIC-BILLED TRIBE. (105.) The Conirostral tribe is the most highly or-ganised of all those which form the grand division, or order,of Perchers ; of which, in consequence, it is pre-emi-n
. On the natural history and classification of birds . the sizeof the bird, and are calculated only, like those of theAmpelidcB, for perching. All these characters notonly point out this genus as of the fissirostral type,but perfect the union of the families of Muscicapidceand Ampelidte. * Le Vaill. Nat. Hist. dOiseaux de LAmerique, p. 144. 92 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. CHAP. VIII. ON THE CONIROSTRES, OR CONIC-BILLED TRIBE. (105.) The Conirostral tribe is the most highly or-ganised of all those which form the grand division, or order,of Perchers ; of which, in consequence, it is pre-emi-nently typical. The prominent distinctions of these birds,and the characters by which they are separated from thetribe we have just quitted, have more than once beentouched upon. * The general reader will form no inac-curate idea of the contents of this circle, by looking to acrow {fig, 150. a), a starling (6), a sparrow (c), a plantain-eater (d),and a hornbill (e) ; and associating in his mindall those birds whose conic and slightly notched bills ap-. proximate more or less to one or other of these forms ;in none of which do we observe that degree of curvatureand dentation of the upper mandible, so characteristicof dentirostral birds. To define them, however, withscientific accuracy and exclusiveness, is much more diffi-cult ; seeing that, as in all large groups, they possess noone character which is not found among those birds whichare connected with, but do not enter into, the circle ofthe Conirostres. That distinction, however, whichappears most general, is the strong conic-shaped form * Vol. I. p. 339. CONIROSTRES. DIVISIONS. BUCERIDiE. 03 of the bill, which is scarcely ever so decidedly notchedas that of the Dentirostres, with which alone the pre-sent group can be confounded. In all the aberranttribes of perchers, — that is, in the Fissirostres, Tenui-rostres, and Scansores, the feet are very short, generallyweak, and always imperfect, — they exhibit a structurecalcula
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