Lives of Eminent Zoologists, from Aristotle to Linnaeus Part 15

86. _Scolopax_, snipes, curlews. Beak long, slender, obtuse; face feathered: 18 species.

87. _Tringa_, sandpiper. Beak roundish, as long as the head; nostrils linear; feet with four toes: 23 species.

88. _Charadrius_, plover. Beak roundish, obtuse; feet with three toes: 12 species.

89. _Recurvirostra_, avoset. Beak slender, recurved, pointed, the tip flexible: 1 species.

90. _Haematopus_, oyster-catcher. Beak compressed, the tip wedgeshaped: 1 species.

91. _Fulica_, coot. Beak convex; upper mandible arched over the lower, which has a prominent angle: 7 species.

92. _Parra_, jacana. Beak roundish, bluntish; forehead wattled; wings spurred: 5 species.

93. _Rallus_, rail. Beak thicker at the base, compressed, acute: 10 species.

94. _Psophia_, trumpeter. Beak conical, convex, rather sharp; the upper mandible longer: 1 species.

95. _Otis_, bustard. Beak with the upper mandible arched: 4 species.

96. _Struthio_, ostrich and ca.s.sowary. Beak somewhat conical; wings unfit for flying: 3 species.

_Order V._ GALLINae, Gallinaceous Birds.

97. _Didus_, dodo. Beak contracted in the middle, with two transverse rugae; the tip of both mandibles bent inwards: 1 species, now extinct.

98. _Pavo_, pea-fowl. Head covered with feathers; feathers of the rump elongated, with eyelike spots: 3 species.

99. _Meleagris_, turkey-fowl. Head covered with spongy caruncles; the throat with a longitudinal membranous wattle: 3 species.

100. _Crax_, cura.s.sow-bird. Beak with a cere at the base; head covered with recurved feathers: 5 species.

101. _Phasia.n.u.s_, pheasant. Sides of the head bare: 6 species.

102. _Numida_, Guinea-fowl. Carunculated wattles on each side of the face; head with a h.o.r.n.y crest: 1 species.

103. _Tetrao_, grouse and partridge. A bare papillar spot near the eyes: 20 species.

_Order VI._ Pa.s.sERES.

104. _Columba_, pigeon. Beak straight; nostrils with a tumid membrane: 40 species.

105. _Alauda_, lark. Beak slender, pointed; tongue slit; hind claw very long: 11 species.

106. _Sturnus_, starling. Beak slender, flattened towards the point: 5 species.

107. _t.u.r.dus_, thrush. Beak tubulate, compressed, notched: 28 species.

108. _Ampelis_, chatterer. Beak awlshaped, depressed at the base, notched: 7 species.

109. _Loxia_, grossbeak. Beak conical, bulging at the base: 48 species.

110. _Emberiza_, bunting. Beak somewhat conical; lower mandible broader: 24 species.

111. _Tanagra_, tanager. Beak notched, awlshaped, conical at the base: 24 species.

112. _Fringilla_, finch. Beak conical, acute: 39 species.

113. _Muscicapa_, flycatcher. Beak notched, awlshaped, with large bristles at the base: 21 species.

114. _Motacilla_, wagtails, warblers. Beak awlshaped, tongue jagged; claw of the hind toe of moderate length: 49 species.

115. _Pipra_, manakin. Beak awlshaped, incurved: 13 species.

116. _Parus_, t.i.t. Beak awlshaped, feathers at its base directed forwards; tongue abrupt: 14 species.

117. _Hirundo_, swallow. Beak very small, depressed at the base, incurved; the mouth wider than the head: 12 species.

118. _Caprimulgus_, goatsucker. Beak very small, incurved, depressed at the base; large bristles; the mouth very wide: 2 species.

The cla.s.s of Birds comprehends 930 species, which are characterized by the colours of the plumage, the forms of the feathers, the existence of wattles, spurs, and various other circ.u.mstances.

The third cla.s.s, _Amphibia_, is composed of animals not, strictly speaking, capable of living both in air and in water, but having the power of suspending their respiration in a more arbitrary manner than others. They are arranged under four orders:--

I. REPTILES. Amphibious animals respiring through the mouth by means of lungs; and furnished with four feet.

To this order belong the tortoises, dragons, crocodiles, lizards, toads, and frogs, which are disposed into four genera, containing 83 species.

II. SERPENTES, _Serpents_. Respiring through the mouth by means of lungs; dest.i.tute of feet, fins, and ears.

There are six genera, and 132 species.

III. MEANTES, _Gliders_. Respiring by means of gills and lungs; furnished with feet and claws.

There is only one species, the lizard-syren of Carolina.

IV. NANTES, _Swimming Amphibia_. Respiring at will by means of gills and lungs: the rays of the fins cartilaginous.

These animals, of which 76 species are enumerated, are referred to fourteen genera,--the lamprey, ray or skate, shark, chimaera, frog-fish, sturgeon, lump-fish, oldwife-fish, bonyskin-fish, sun-fish, porcupine-fish, trumpet-fish, pipe-fish, and dragon-fish.

The number of species described as belonging to this cla.s.s is 292. The specific characters are derived from various circ.u.mstances connected with the external conformation; in the tortoises, from the sh.e.l.l and feet; in the snakes, from the number of the abdominal and caudal plates; in the swimming amphibia, or, as they are now more properly called, the cartilaginous fishes, from the form of the body, the differences of the fins, and other circ.u.mstances.

The fourth cla.s.s, that of FISHES, contains four orders, founded upon the relative position of the fins, which are compared to the feet of other animals. Thus, the ventral fins may be placed before, beneath, or behind the pectoral, or they may be wanting.

I. APODES, _Apodal_ or _Footless_. Fishes dest.i.tute of ventral fins; such as the eel, the wolf-fish, and the sword-fish.

II. JUGULARES, _Jugular_. Fishes having the ventral fins placed before the pectoral; as the dragonet, weever, cod, haddock, and coal-fish.