John Hogg, Esq., on the Classification of Birds. 63 



upon them, and not naked, — in some species having carun- 

 cles, narrow and long feathers on their necks, — and in seve- 

 ral of their habits. 



But they differ from them (amongst other things)" in their 

 young being mostly born blind, tender, and requiring to 

 be fed for some time, — in being monogamous, chiefly arbo- 

 real, possessing constrictile feet, fully suited for perching ; 

 with the hind-toe quite resting on the ground ; the tarsi un- 

 armed with spurs, and in general not swift-footed. 



Subclass II. Aves Inconstrictipedes, birds with inconstric- 

 tile feet; i. e.,feet little or not adapted to grasping. 



The birds in this subclass make either a poor and rude 

 nest, in which they lay their eggs, or else none, depositing 

 them on the bare ground. The young are generally born 

 with their full sight, covered with down, strong, and capable 

 of running or swimming immediately after they leave the 

 egg-shell. The parent birds attend, and direct them where 

 to find their food. They are mostly polygamous, have the 

 feet little or not adapted to grasping, and very frequently 

 want the thumb or hind-toe; but this, when present, is 

 chiefly placed higher up the tarsus than the plane of the 

 fore-toes, and usually rests, in a slight degree, or not at all, 

 upon the ground. 



The tribe Convexirostres points out the strongly arched, or 

 convex bill, of the Gallinse, gallinaceous birds or scratchers 

 (Rasores) ; and this I have divided into two sub tribes ; — the 

 first Podarcees, Uodu^Kseg^ able with their feet, or srvift-footed, 

 — ^the usual characteristic of this active group, consisting 

 chiefly of game-birds and poultry ; and the second, Podenemi 

 — IloS^vg^o/, having feet as swift as the winds. This subtribe 

 comprehends the bustards, which depend upon the swiftness 

 of their powerful, long, and muscular legs, for safety, rather 

 than upon the use of their short wings. 



The genus Hemipodius, or half afoot, is so named, because 

 it wants the hind-toe ; and in this respect, as well in being 

 polygamous, as in having the bill compressed, it approaches 

 to the bustard. Consequently, I have stationed it in a sepa- 

 rate family, Hemipodiadoe, and next before that of Otididce. 



The stilters or waders (Grallatores) constitute the Order V., 



