British Birds in their Haunts Part 2

FAMILY MOTACILLIDae (WAGTAILS AND PIPITS)

Wings with nine visible primaries. Inner secondaries nearly as long as primaries.

45. MOTACILLA (Wagtail). Cutting edges of both mandibles slightly compressed inwards; nostrils basal, oval, partly concealed by a naked membrane; first primary ac.u.minate and nearly obsolete, second and third nearly equal and longest; one of the scapulars as long as the quills; tail long, nearly even at the end; tarsus much longer than the middle toe. _Page 111_

46. ANTHUS (Pipit). Bill and nostrils very much as in Motacilla; two of the scapulars as long as the closed wing; first primary ac.u.minate and nearly obsolete, second shorter than the third and fourth, which are the longest; hind claw very long. _Page 116_

FAMILY ALAUDIDae (LARKS)

Wings with nine or more visible primaries. Planta tarsi scutellate.

Granivorous birds, frequenting open s.p.a.ces, and singing during their flight; nesting on ground and seeking their food there by running; they are 'pulverators', i. e. they shake dust or sand into their feathers instead of bathing.

47. ALAUDA (Lark). Bill moderate, slightly compressed at edges; upper mandible more or less arched from middle. Nostrils basal, oval, covered by bristly feathers directed forward. Gape straight. Wings long; first primary short but unmistakably developed; second, third and fourth nearly equal, but third longest. Tail moderate, slightly forked. Tarsus longer than middle toe; claws slightly curved and moderate, except that of hind toe, which is generally elongate and nearly straight. _Page 119_

48. OToCORYS (Sh.o.r.e-lark). Bill rather short, subconic; upper mandible slightly arched. Head--in adult male--with tuft of long, erectile feathers on either side of occiput. Wings long; first primary so small as at first sight to seem wanting, second longest but third nearly its equal, fourth decidedly shorter, outer secondaries short and emarginate at tip. Tail rather long, slightly forked. Tarsus shorter than middle toe; claws moderate and very slightly curved, that of hind toe being comparatively straight. _Page 122_

ORDER PICARIae

Opposed to the Pa.s.seres. The feet are relatively weaker and smaller.

FAMILY CYPSELIDae (SWIFTS)

Tail of ten feathers (swallows have twelve). Gape very wide.

49. CPSELUS (Swift). Bill very short, flattened horizontally, triangular; upper mandible curved downwards at the point; gape extending beyond the eyes; legs very short; toes all directed forwards; wings extremely long; first primary a little shorter than the second. _Page 123_

FAMILY CAPRIMULGIDae (GOATSUCKERS)

The bill in this family resembles that of the Swallows, but is shorter and weaker; the gape is enormous and its sides are, for the most part, furnished with long and stiff bristles, which point forwards; the wings are long, and formed for powerful flight; the feet are small, and feathered to the toes; plumage soft and downy, and beautifully mottled with black, brown, grey, and white, varying in colour with the soil of their habitat; the claw of the middle toe is dilated on one side and toothed like a comb. Tail of ten feathers. Nocturnal birds, feeding on large insects, which they capture in their flight.

50. CAPRIMuLGUS (Goatsucker or Nightjar). Bill very short, somewhat curved, broad and flattened at the base; upper mandible curved downwards at the tip; gape extending beyond the eyes, and armed with strong bristles; wings long; first primary shorter than the second, which is the longest. _Page 125_

FAMILY PICIDae (WOODp.e.c.k.e.rS)

Feet short, but of unusual strength; the rigid toes diverge from a centre, two pointing forwards, and two backwards; claws large, much curved, and very hard and sharp; breast-bone shallow; flight weak and undulating.

_SUB-FAMILY PICINae_

Tail feathers stiff and pointed: nostrils covered with bristles.

51. DENDROCOPUS (Spotted Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs). Bill about as long as the head, robust, straight, irregular, compressed, pyramidal, laterally bevelled at the tip; tongue long and extensile, the tip barbed; nostrils basal, oval, concealed by reflected bristly feathers; wings with the first primary very short, fourth and fifth longest; tail-feathers graduated, stiff and pointed. Fourth toe much longer than third. Prevailing colours of the plumage black and white, or black and red. _Page 127_

52. GeCINUS (Green Woodp.e.c.k.e.r). Bill hard, broad at base, compressed at tip; upper mandible slightly arched, ending abruptly with shallow groove on each side running parallel to and near the culmen, and longer than lower mandible, which is pointed and has the gonys nearer the tip than the base and the tomia rounded. The fourth toe equal to the third. Prevailing colour greenish, otherwise much as in Dendrocopus. _Page 129_

_SUB-FAMILY IYNGINae_

Nostrils partly covered by a membrane.

53. IYNX (Wryneck). Bill shorter than the head, straight, conical; tongue long and extensile; nostrils without bristles, partly closed by a membrane; wings with the second primary somewhat the longest; tail-feathers soft and flexible. _Page 131_

FAMILY ALCEDINIDae (KINGFISHERS)

Bill long, stout, and pointed, with angular sides, not serrated; feet small and feeble, the outer and middle toes united to the last joint; wings rounded and hollow, ill adapted for protracted flight; form robust, with a large head and usually a short tail. Predatory birds, feeding on fish, insects, and even reptiles, birds, and small quadrupeds. Scattered over the world, but Australia and South America contain the greatest number of species.

54. ALCeDO (Kingfisher). Bill long, straight, quadrangular, sharp; wings short with the third primary the longest; tail very short.

_Page 132_

FAMILY CORACIIDae (ROLLERS)

Bill corvine in shape; culmen rounded; nostrils near base of upper mandible and hidden by bristly feathers; tail feathers twelve.

54. CORaCIAS (Roller). Bill compressed, straight, with cutting edges; upper mandible slightly hooked at the point; sides of the gape bristled; tarsus short; wings long; first primary a little shorter than the second, which is the longest. _Page 134_

FAMILY MEROPIDae (BEE-EATERS)

Bill long; culmen with sharply defined ridge; toes joined for part of length.

55. MeROPS (Bee-eater). Bill long, compressed, slightly curved, slender, with cutting edges, broad at the base; upper mandible keeled, the tip not hooked; tarsus very short; wings long, pointed, second primary the longest; centre tail feathers elongated. _Page 135_

FAMILY UPUPIDae (HOOPOES)

56. UPUPA (Hoopoe). Bill longer than the head, slender, slightly arched, compressed; feathers of the head long, forming a two-ranked crest; tail even at the extremity. _Page 136_

FAMILY CUCULIDae (CUCKOOS)

Bill moderate, rather deeply cleft, both mandibles compressed, and more or less curved downwards; nostrils exposed; wings for the most part short; tail of ten feathers lengthened; toes four, two pointing backwards and two forwards, but the outer hind toe of each foot is capable of being placed at right angles with either the inner or outer front toe. A tropical family of birds, many of which migrate to the temperate regions in summer. Not so decidedly climbers as the Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs and Creepers, yet having great power of clinging. Their flight is feeble, their food soft-bodied insects, varied in many cases with berries and other fruits, and some of the larger species will occasionally prey on mice, reptiles, and the eggs and young of birds. Most, perhaps all of the migratory species, lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.

57. CuCULUS (Cuckoo). Bill shorter than the head, broad, depressed at the base, with the ridge curved and the sides compressed towards the tip, which is entire and acute; nostrils in a membranous groove, the opening rounded and exposed; wings pointed, third primary longest; tail long, graduated; tarsi very short, feathered below the heel.

_Page 137_