567 



REMAKES ON THE SWIMMING BTEDS. 



CRIBRATORES. URINATORES. 

 MERSATORES. 



In the simple, but not altogether physiologically correct 

 division of the feathered tribes into Land Birds and Water 

 Birds, the species which have been described in this volume 

 are usually referred to the latter, those of the order Cursores, 

 although not of aquatic habits, being included in that series 

 on account of their general resemblance to the Tentatores. 

 The Water Birds themselves have by most authors been 

 sectioned into Littoral and Natatory, Shore Birds and Swim- 

 ming Birds, Waders and Swimmers. Those which peculiarly 

 deserve the name of Littoral Birds and Waders, are the Ten- 

 tatores and Aucupatores, while the Cursores might be referred 

 to the Terrestrial, and the Latitores, while they present affi- 

 nities of structure and habits to the Rasores, are in many 

 instances as aquatic as a large proportion of the birds peculi- 

 arly so called. The Waders of authors are thus transitional, 

 being placed between the series of truly terrestrial and that of 

 truly aquatic birds. 



If the Littoral Birds are thus incapable of being strictly 

 defined, the case is different with those of which the species 



