xviii NORTH AMERICA:^ BIRDS. 



being mucli abbreviated. Tail short and few-feathered. Head narrow, co- 

 nico-elongated, gradually contracting to the large, stout base of the bill ; the 

 loral and orbital I'egion, or the whole head, naked. Gape of the bill deeply 

 fissured; tip usually acute; tomia hard and cutting. Bill conico-elongate, 

 always longer than the head, stout and firm. Kostrils small, placed high 

 up, with entirely bony and horny, or only .slightly membranous, surround- 

 ings. Pterylosis nearly peculiar in the presence, almost throughout the 

 group, of powder-down tracts, rarely found elsewhere ; pterylse very narrow. 

 Palate desmognathous Carotids double. Altricial. Comprising the Herons, 

 Storks, Ibises, etc. (not Cranes). Species usually of large stature, with com- 

 pressed body and very long S-bent neck; perching and nesting usually in 

 trees, bushes, or other high places near water; young hatching weak, scarcely 

 feathered, and reared in the nest. 



I. ALECTORIDES.' Tibije naked below. Neck, legs, and feet much as 

 in the la.st gruiip, but liallux reduced and obviously elevated, with small 

 claw, the resulting foot cursorial (natatorial and lobate in Fulka). AV'ings 

 and tail commonly ;is in Herodinnes. Head less narrowed and conic than in 

 the last, fully feathered or with extensive baldness (not with definite naked- 

 ness of loral and orbital regions). Bill of various shape, usually lengthened 

 and obtuse, never extensively membranous. Rictus moderate. Nostrils 

 lower than in Ilerodiunes. Pterylosis not peculiar. Palate schizognathous. 

 Carotids double. Nature piwcocial and ptilopxdic. Comprising the Cranes 

 and Rails and their allies ; the former agreeing with the Herodiones super- 

 ficially in st.iture, etc., but highly diverse in the schizognathous palate, 

 pnwocial natiu-e, etc. 



J. LAMELLIROSTRES. Feet palmate; tibi;iB feathered (except Ph«- 

 nicupterus). Legs near centre of equilibrium of the body, its axis horizontal 

 in walking ; not lengthened except in Phoenkopterus. Knee-joint rarely 

 exserted beyond general skin of the body. Wings moderate, reaching wlien 

 folded to, but not beyond, the usually short and rounded (exceptionally long 

 and cuneate) tail. Feet tetradactyle (except sometimes in Phcenicopterus) ; 

 hallux reduced, elevated and free, often independently lobate. Bill lamel- 

 late, i. e., furnished along each commissural edge with a regular scries of 

 mutually adajjted lamina; or tooth-like processes, with which correspond 

 certain laciniate processes of the fleshy tongue, which ends in a horny tip. 

 Bill large, thick, high at base, depressed towards the end, membranous to 

 the broad obtuse tip, which is occupied by a horny " nail " of various shape. 

 Nostrils patent, never tubular; nasal fossse slight. No gular pouch. Plu- 

 mage dense, to resist water. Eyes very small. Head high, compressed, 

 with lengthened, sloping frontal region. Palate desmognathous. Repro- 

 duction pi-iccocial; young ptilopiedic. Eggs numerous. Carotids double. 

 Sternum sinL'lc-niitnlied. Comprising Flamingoes and all the Anserine birds. 

 K. STEGANOPODES. Feet totipalmat« ; hallux lengthened, nearly in- 

 (Himljent, semilateral, completely united with the second toe by a full web. 

 Tibia; feathered ; position of legs with reference to axis of body variable, 

 but generally far po.sterior ; knee-joint not free. Wings and tail variable. 

 Bill of very variable shape, never lamellate, wholly corneous; its tomia 

 often serrate ; external nares very small or finally abortive. A prominent 

 naked gular pouch. Tarsi reticulate. Sternum entire or nearly so ; furcu- 



^ Groups O., H., and I. are respectively equal to the Charadriomnrpha:, Pelanjomarpha, and 

 GeranomorpluE of Huxley. 



