114 NATUllAL lilSTORY 



Order 14 — Anseriformes — Swans, geese, and ducks (Mergus, Anas, Cygnus). 

 Characteristics : Aquatic birds whose beak is covered by soft sensitive 

 membrane edged with horny lamellae. 

 Order 15 — Falconiformes — Falcons, vultures, eagles, hawks, and secretary-birds 

 {Cathartes, Gymnogyps, Sagittarius, Falco). 

 Characteristics : Carnivorous birds with curved, hooked beak ; feet 

 adapted for perching and provided with sharp, strong claws. 

 Order 16 — GalUformes — Tui'keys, fowls, quails, and pheasants ; also the 

 hoactzin (Meleagris, Colinus, Bonasa). 

 Characteristics : Arboreal or terrestrial birds ; feet adapted for perching. 

 Order 17 — Gruiform.es — Rails and cranes {Rallus, Gallinula, Fulica). 



Characteristics : Mostly marsh birds. 

 Order 18 — Charadriiform.es — Plovers, snipes, gulls, terns, auks, and pigeons 

 {Jacana, Larus, Rhynchops). 

 Characteristics : Marine, arboreal, or terrestrial forms. 

 Order 19 — Cuculiformes — Cuckoos and parrots {Conuropsis, Coccyzus). 



Characteristics : Arboreal birds, first and fourth toes directed backwards ; 

 the latter may be reversible. 

 Order 20 — Coraciiformes — Kingfishers, owls, hummingbirds, swifts, and wood- 

 peckers (Streptoceryle, Antrostomus) . 

 Characteristics : Tree-inhabiting forms with short legs. 

 Order 21 — Passeriformes — Perching birds (Passer, Sayornis, Tyrannus). 



Characteristics : More than half of all known birds belong in this order. 

 In America representatives of 25 families are found. A few of these are 

 the flycatchers, larks, thrushes, thrashers, wrens, warblers, swallows, 

 shrikes, nuthatches, crows, orioles, finches, and creepers. 



