Volume 2

The gardens and menagerie of the Zoological Society delineated / Published, with the sanction of the council, under the superintendence of the secretary and vice-secretary of the society.

  • Zoological Society of London.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The gardens and menagerie of the Zoological Society delineated / Published, with the sanction of the council, under the superintendence of the secretary and vice-secretary of the society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the occupations which they pursue. From a compa- rison of these it will at once be seen that the typical family of Climbers among birds must necessarily occupy a corresponding station in the Class to which they belong, with that which is filled by those tribes of the Mammalia whose organization renders them peculiarly the inhabitants of trees. One of the most important characters, as affecting their mode of life, is that which is derived from the structure of their feet. In the Monkeys these organs are essentially fitted for climbing from branch to branch and leaping from tree to tree, which they perform with an agility not to be surpassed; while their progression on the surface of the ground is generally awkward and constrained. In like manner the Parrots, or at least the far greater number among them, are incapable of treading the earth with ease, while the zygodactyle disposition of their toes and the strong curvature of their claws enable them to grasp, with a firmness unequalled among birds, the branches on which they perch, and consequently to climb with singular dexte- rity. In this operation they occasionally derive consi- derable assistance from their bills, by means of which they not unfrequently suspend themselves from the branches, or support themselves during their ascent or descent from one to another. This is peculiarly the case with the American groups; and the prehensile tails of many American Monkeys afford a similar sup- port, enabling them to swing from branch to branch almost without the assistance of their hands. Both Parrots and Monkeys derive the principal part of their subsistence from the trees which they inhabit, vegetable food being the most congenial to their organi- zation, and fruits being generally preferred by them to every other kind of nutriment. Stone-fruits or nuts are