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GEN. 8. GRACULA.

Bill, convex, knife fhaped, fomewhat naked at the bafe.-Tongue, entire, fomewhat enlarged and flefhy, fharp at the end.-Noftrils, fmall, near the base of the bill.-Toes, three forward, one backward, the middle connected at the base to the outmost.-Class, hooked and fharp. Of the Gracle, which form this genus, there are about twelve fpecies, none of which are found in Europe, and only four or five known in America.

GEN. 9. TROGON.

This genus embraces a clafs of South-American birds, inhabiting Cayenne and Brafil, of which there is only three fpecies. They have the bill fhort, thick and convex.-Noftrils, covered with thick briftles.-Toes, two backward and two forward.-Legs, feathered down to the toes-and the tail confifting of twelve feathers.

CEN. IO. BUCCO.

The Tamatia, or Barbets, that conftitute this genus, are likewise chiefly South-American birds; on that part of the continent there are feven fpecies found, but none to the North. The bill of this bird is ftrong, ftraight, bending a little towards the point; base, covered with strong briftles, pointing downwards.-Noftrils, hid in the feathers. Toes, two backward and two forward, divided to their origin. -Tail, confifting of ten weak feathers.

GEN. II. CUCULUS.

Of the Cuckoo, which forms this class, there are five species found in North-America, and nine in the South. Characters of this genus are, bill, weak, a little bending.-Noftrils, bounded by a small tim-Tongue, fhort and pointed.-Toes, two forward and two backward.-Tail, cuneated, confifting of ten foft feathers.

male is orange, edged with pale brown; the coverts of the wings of the fame colour, marked with a fingle bar of white; the under fide of the body and coverts of the tail yellow; the tail dusky, edged with yellow. The length both of the male and female is feven inches. This bird fufpends its neft to the horizontal forks of the tulip and poplar trees, formed of the filaments of fome tough plants, curiously woven, mixed with wool, and lined with hairs. It is of a pear shape, open at top, with a hole on the fide through which the young difcharge their excrements, and are fed. In fome parts of NorthAmerica, this fpecies, from its brilliant colour, is called the Fiery Hangneft. It is hamed the Baltimore bird from its colours, resembling those in the arms of the late Lord Baltimore, whofe family were proprietors of Maryland,

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GEN. 12. PICUS.

The characters of this genus are-Bill, ftraight, ftrong, angular, and cuneated at the end.-Noftrils, covered with briftles, and re flected down.-Tongue, very long, flender, cylindric, bony, hard, jagged at the end, miffile.-Toes, two forward and two backward. -Tail, confifting of ten hard, stiff, sharp-pointed feathers. This genus is formed of the Woodpeckers, which may be divided into three general claffes, green, black, and variegated or spotted; of the green Woodpecker, eleven fpecies have been found in America; of the black, fix; and of the variegated, twenty-one; befides two fpecies of a finall bird called Woodpecker Creepers, the Les Pic Grim pereaux of Buff. Thefe latter might perhaps be with more propriety claffed in the genus Yunx.

GEN. 13. ALCEDO.

Bill, long, ftrong, straight, and sharp pointed.-Noftrils, small, and hid in the feathers.-Tongue, fhort, broad, fharp pointed.Legs, fhort, three toes forward, one backward, three lower joints of the middle toe joined closely to thofe of the outmost. This genus includes the King Fishers, which M. Buffon divides into three claffes, the Great King Fisher, of which there are five species found in America; the Middle King Fisher, of which there are likewife five fpecies; and the Leaft King Fisher, of which we believe only one fpecies has been found on the new continent.

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GEN. 14. GALBULA.

Of the Jacamars, which conftitute this genus, we believe there are only three fpecies known, and all found in South-America; they have been confidered by many as a fpecies of the King Fisher, and therefore claffed by Linnæus Alcedo Galbula. The principal difference in character is in the legs being feathered before to the toes, and, the toes being difpofed, two backward and two forward.

GEN. 15. SITTA.

The characters of this genus are-Bill, straight, on the lower mandible a fmall angle.-Noftrils, fmall, covered with feathers reflected over them.-Tongue, fhort, horny at the edge, and jagged.-Toes, three forward, and one backward, the middle toe joined closely at the bafe to both the outmost.-Back toe as large as the middle one. The chief birds which form this genus are the Nuthatches, of which there are five species found in America, two of which are common in the United States.

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GEN. 16. TODUS.

Bill, thin, depreffed, broad, bafe befet with briftles.--Noftrils, fmall.-Toes, three forward, one backward, connected like thofe of the King Fisher. This genus contains the Todies, of which there are eight or nine fpecies known, all natives of the warm parts of America, or the Weft-India islands."

GEN. 17. MEROPS.

The bill of this genus is quadrangular, a little incurvated, sharp pointed. Noftrils, small, placed near the bafe.--Tongue, flender.Toes, three forward and one backward, the three lower joints of the middle toe closely joined to thofe of the outmost, This genus contains the Bee Eater, of which five or fix fpecies have been found in America.

GEN. 18. UPUPA.

The character of this genus is-Bill, arched, long, flender, convex, fomewhat blunt and compreffed.-Noftrils, minute, fituated at the bafe of the bill.-Tongue, obtufe, entire, triangular, and fhort.Toes, three forward and one backward, midelle toe clofely united at the base to the outmoft. This genus contains the Hoopoes and the Promerops, but there are only two fpecies of the latter found in America, and these in the fouthern parts.

GEN. 19. CERTHIA.

Characters of this genus are-Bills, very flender, weak, and incurvated-Noftrils, fmall.-Tongue, not fo long as the bill, hard, and fharp at the point.-Toes, three forward and one backward, back toe large. Claws, long and hooked. This genus contains the birds. commonly called Creepers, of which there are twenty fpecies known on the American continent,

GEN. 20. TROCHILUS.

Bill, flender and weak; in fome ftraight, in others incurvated.Noftrils, minute.-Tongue, very long, formed of two conjoined cylindric tubes, miffile.-Tocs, three forward, one backward,-Tail confifts of ten feathers.

This genus comprehends the various Humming Birds, or Honey Suckers, which form a numerous clafs, not lefs than fifty-fix fpecies are found in the different parts of the new continent.

ORDER III, GALLINACEOUS.

Heavy bodies, fhort wings, very convex; ftrong, arched, short bills: the upper mandible fhutting over the edges of the lower.

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The flesh delicate and of excellent nutriment; ftrong legs; toes joined at the base, as far as the first joint, by a strong membrane. Claws broad, formed for fcratching up the ground, More than twelve feathers in the tail.

Granivorous, feminivorous, infectivorous, swift runners, of short flight; often polygamous, very prolific, lay their eggs on the bare ground. Sonorous, querelous, and pugnacious.

Or, with bills flightly convex; granivorous, feminivorous, infecți, vorous; long legs, naked above the knees: the genus that connects the land and the water-fowl. Agreeing with the cloven-footed waterfowl in the length and nakedness of the legs, and the fewness of its eggs: difagreeing in place, food, and form of bill, and number of feathers in the tail.

GEN. I. PHASIANUS.

This genus includes the cock and the pheasants; the former are domefticated in all the fettled parts of America; of the latter there are eight fpecies known on the continent, all natives of SouthAmerica.

Characters of the pheafant are---Bill, convex, fhort and ftrong.--Noftrils, fmall.---Tail, bending downwards.

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This genus contains the turkey, of which but one fpecies is known, and that, though domefticated in most countries, is a native of North-America.---Bill, convex, fhort and strong.---Noftrils, open, pointed at one end, lodged in a membrane.--- Tongur, floped on both fides toward the end and pointed.---Head and Neck, covered with a naked tuberofe flefh, with a long fleshy appendage hanging from the base of the upper mandible.---Tail, broad, confifting of eighteen feathers extenfible.

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The curaffo forms this genus as well as the PENELOPE. The characters are---Bill, convex, ftrong and thick, the bafe covered with a cere often mounted with a large nob.---Neftrils, small, lodged in the cere.---Head, fometimes adorned with a creft of feathers curling forwards.---Tail, large and straight. There are four species of this genus, and three of the penelope found in South-America. The most effential difference in the two genufes is, that the Bill in thofe of the penelope is naked at the bafe.

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GEN. 4. TETRAO,

This genus includes three fubdivifions: 1. The grous and ptarmigans. Bill, convex, ftrong and fhort; a naked fearlet skin above each eye.---Noftrils, small and hid in the feathers.---Tongue, pointed. ---Legs, feathered to the toes. Of these there are feven species, found in the coldest parts of North-America.

2. The partridges and quails; thefe have no naked skin above the eyes. The Noftrils are covered with a callous prominent rim; and, the Legs naked, with the exception of two fpecies. Of these there are eight species found in the temperats and warm parts of America.

3. The tinamous, which are peculiar to South-America, and of which five fpecies are known. These birds resemble the pheasants in their habits.---Bill, long and blunt at the tip. Nofirils, placed in the middle with a very wide gap.---Throat, fprinkled with feathers. ---Tail, very short,---Hind Toe, curtailed and useless for running.

GEN. 5. PSOPHIA.

This genus includes two fpecies of a bird called the trumpeter, one of which is found in Africa, and one in South-America; the latter is called the agmi or golden-breasted trumpeter, of which there is a beautiful specimen in the Leverian Museum. Character of this genus---Bill, fort, upper mandible a little convex---Noftrils, oblong, funk and pervious.---Tongue, cartilaginous, flat, torn or fringed at the end.---Legs, naked a little above the knees.---Toes, three before and one behind, with a round protuberance beneath the hind toe, which is at a finall distance from the ground.

ORDER IV. COLUMBINE.

Bill, weak, flender, ftraight at the bafe, with a foft protuberant fubftance, in which the noftrils are lodged.-Tongue, entire.-Legs, fhort and red.-Toes, divided to the origin. Swift and distant flight, walking pace. Plaintive note, or cooing, peculiar to the order. The male inflates or fwells up its breast in courtship. Female lays but two eggs at a time. Male and female fit alternately, and feed their young, ejecting the meat out of their ftomachs into the mouths of the neftlings. Granivorous, feminivorous. The neft fimple, in trees, or holes of rocks, or walls.

GEN. I. COLUMBIA.

There is only one genus of this order; it is therefore needless to repeat the characters; it includes the pigeons and turtles, of which there are known in different parts of America twelve species.

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