10 CHARACTERS OF THE ORDERS. 



large tendinous spaces, and dense, hard, longitudinally ru- 

 gous epithelium ; intestine of moderate length, rather narrow ; 

 coeca rather long, cylindrical, or oblong. Legs long or mode- 

 rate, slender ; the tibia bare to a great extent, but sometimes 

 feathered to the joint ; tarsus slender, generally scutellate ; 

 toes of moderate length, slender, the anterior webbed at the 

 base, the hind toe very small and elevated, or wanting ; claws 

 small, compressed, arcuate, mostly rather acute. Plumage 

 generally soft, on the upper parts somewhat compact, the 

 feathers with a rather large downy plumule ; wings long, 

 acute, the first quill generally the longest ; some of the inner 

 secondaries much elongated, narrow, and tapering ; tail short. 



ORDER XV. AUCUPATORES. STALKERS. 



Bill large, generally conical, mostly pointed, sometimes 

 subcylindrical or flattened at the end. Mouth wide, and 

 very dilatable. Tongue trigonal, acute. (Esophagus very 

 wide ; stomach generally a large rounded sac, with the walls 

 thin, but sometimes moderately muscular, the epithelium 

 thin, or thick, soft, and rugous ; intestine very long and 

 narroAv, without coeca in one family, but in the other with 

 small coecal appendages. Legs long, slender ; tibiae bare to a 

 large extent ; tarsus mostly scutellate in front ; toes four, 

 large, the hind toe on the same level as the rest. Plumage 

 generally lax, the feathers elongated ; wings large and broad ; 

 tail short. 



ORDER XVI. LATITORES. SKULKERS. 



Bill of moderate length, generally rather short, semetimes 

 elongated, rather strong, compressed. Mouth narrow. Tongue 

 slender, trigonal, tapering. (Esophagus of moderate width, 

 without crop or remarkable dilatation ; proventriculus oblong ; 

 stomach with very large distinct muscles, and thick rugous 

 epithelium ; intestine of moderate length and width ; coeca 

 long. Legs of moderate length, stout ; tibia bare to a con- 



