198 VERTEBRATA: AVES OR BIRDS. 



Bine Heron (Fig. 231), forty-two inches long, the Night 

 Heron, the Bittern (Fig. 232), etc. 



The Ibises or Tantalidse have the bill rounded and 

 much decurved, and the toes have a basal web. The 

 Wood Ibis of the Southern States is forty-five inches long. 



The Spoonbills or Plataleidre are large grallatores whose 

 bill is completely flattened and very broad, and widening 

 at the rounded tip. Our only species is the Eosy Spoon- 

 bill of the Southern States. 



SUB-SECTION XI. 

 THE ORDER OF ALECTORIDES OR KAILS, ETC. 



THE Cranes and Rails are included in this group, ac- 

 cording to the later views in ornithology, although the 

 Cranes have a marked resemblance to the Herons. The 

 name A.lectorides is probably from the Greek alectdr, a 

 cock, and cidos, form, alluding to a fancied resemblance.' 



The Cranes or Griucke greatly excel even the Herons 

 in height. The Whooping Crane (Grits americanus\ and 

 the Sandhill Crane (G. canadensis) are our only species. 

 FIG 234 The "Rails or Rallidae have a 



compressed body, rather short 

 bill, very short concave wings, 

 a turned-up tail, large legs, and 

 exceedingly long toes, which 

 enable them to run over soft 

 ground, and even on the sur- 

 face of broad floating leaves 



Common Kail, Porzana Carolina, Vieil- like th Se f WatCl'-lilieS and 



lot. other aquatic plants. 



Rails are mostly of small size, varying from five or six 



