Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/163

150 strongly marked than that of the Starling. He is easily tamed, and when in a state of confinement his good spirits do not forsake him, and he appears to reconcile himself to his situation with great philosophy."

This Family, consisting of birds which may all be considered small, is one of immense extent. They are remarkable for the shortness, thickness, and powerful structure of the beak; the upper and lower mandibles are for the most part equally thick, their height and breadth are nearly alike, so that when the beak is closed, it commonly presents the appearance of a very short cone, divided in the middle by the gape. In some genera, however, the conical form is less obvious, by the bulging or swelling of its outline, both vertically and laterally. In many of the Finches, as the Hawfinch of our own country (Coccothraustes), the Java Sparrow (Amadina) so often seen in cages, and others, the thickness of the beak in proportion to its length, and in comparison with the size of the head, is enormous, but in a rare and extraordinary bird from West Africa (Loxia ostrina, .), the beak is but little inferior in size to the whole head.

The great strength thus communicated to the beak, well adapts it for the functions it is ordained to perform, for the food of these birds consists very largely of seeds, often inclosed in