GRALLATOniiE. 375 



thinner and more cleft than that of the Cranes, is inflated near 

 the last third of its length, and whose toes, all tolerably long, 

 are without any intervening membrane whatever. It has the 

 habits, and is the size of a Heronj the plumage is brown, with 

 two white pencils on the neck. 



Jird. helias, L. ; Le Caurcde (Eurypyga, Illig.);(l) Oiseau du 

 soleil, Sec. Enl. 702. (The Sun-Bird.) The commissure of its 

 bill, which is more slender than that of the Cranes, but fur- 

 nished with similar nasal fossae, extends to beneath the eyes, 

 like that of the Herons, but the beak itself is destitute of the 

 naked skin at its base. It is about the size of a Partridge, and 

 its long slender neck, broad and open tail, and rather short legs 

 give it a very different appearance from that of any other Wader. 

 Its plumage shaded in bands and lines with brown, fawn-colour, 

 red, grey and black, recalls to our minds the colouring of the 

 most beautiful of the nocturnal Lepidoptera. It is found on 

 the banks of the rivers in Guiana. 



The second tribe is more carnivorous, and is known by its 

 stronger beak and larger toes: we may place at its head, 



Cancroma, Lin. 



The Boat-bills, which would closely approach the Herons in the 

 strength of their beak and in the regimen resulting therefrom, but 

 for the extraordinary form of that organ, which we shall find, how- 

 ever, by close examination, to be nothing more than the beak of a 

 Heron or Bittern, very much flattened. In fact, it is very wide from 

 right to left, and is formed like two spoons, the concave sides of 

 Avhich are placed in contact. The mandibles are strong and trench- 

 ant, the upper one having a sharp tooth on each side of its point; 

 the nostrils, situated near its base, are continued on in two parallel 

 grooves to near the point. There are four toes to the feet, long, and 

 almost without membranes, and accordingly we iind that these birds 

 perch upon trees on the banks of rivers, whence they precipitate 

 themselves upon the fish, which constitute their customary food. 

 Their gait is slow, and in their attitudes, they resemble the Herons. 

 The species known is, 



Cancr. cocJilearia, L.jEnl. 38 and 369; Vieill. Gal. pi. 249. 



(The Boat-bill.) Size of a hen; whitish; grey or brown back; 



red belly; a white forehead, followed by a black calotte, which, 



(1) Vieillot has changed this name into that o{ Helios. 



