John Hogg, Esq., on the Classification of Birds. 65 



perusal of M. De Selys-Long champs'' work, that he has anti- 

 cipated me in their institution. It is, however, gratifying to 

 me to find, that so able a naturalist coincides in the necessity 

 for these new groups. 



Family 2. Recurvirostridw. Agreeing with C. L. Bona- 

 parte, I have placed the remarkable genus Recurvirostra io 

 a separate family ; but among Cuviefs Longirostres, or Long- 

 billed group, which I have taken for my fifth tribe of Gral- 

 latores. 



Family 5. Phalaropodidce. On more mature consideration 

 I prefer to follow G. L. Bonaparte in the name of this family. 

 I had previously arranged it uhder the title of Lobipedidce^ 

 as Mr Yarrell has done ; but, since the genera Phalaropus 

 and Lobipes belong, without any doubt, to the hongirostral 

 tribe, and bear a close affinity to the genus Tringa, I have 

 here necessarily assigned to them their true and natural 

 position. 



Tribe VI. Diver sir ostres. The great diversity, as well in 

 the shape, as in the length and si;:ie of the beaks of the rails 

 and crakes, that form the present very natural tribe, has 

 obliged me, for the sake of perfecting this Rostral classifica- 

 tion, to entitle it Diver sirostres. 



The Rallidce, as well as the Fulicidw, are furnished with 

 iong toes, unconnected by any membrane at their base, the 

 Macrodactyli of Cuvier^ which (although not webbed) are in 

 some species edged with lateral membranes, that greatly 

 assist in swimming. 



Tribe VII. Frontiscutirostres. The singular naked shield^ 

 disc, or plate, upon the forehead of the Gallinules, Sultanas, 

 and Coots, of the same consistency or nature as the beak it- 

 self, has led me to establish this tribe. Indeed, this frontal 

 shield seems only to be a portion of the beak carried over 

 the forehead, about as high as the crown of the head. The 

 lobed-feet of the Coots, together with their habits, form, and 

 plumage, mark them as most nearly allied to the true rveb- 

 footed birds, Natatores or Swimmers^ which compose my last 

 and 



VI. Order. The feet of the several tribes in this order 

 are more simple than those of the preceding. They are all 



VOL. XLI. NO. LXXXI, — JULY 1846. E 



