OF GENERA. XXVll 



throughout, dilated towards the eud ; both mandibles grooved 

 nearly to the tip ; nostrils basal, pierced in the groove ; toes 

 four, the front toes entirely divided, hind toe very short ; wings 

 moderate ; first primary longest. Page 451. 



Family V. Eallid^. 



(rails.) 



Body compressed vertically ; bill short, stout ; legs rather stout ; 

 toes four, the three front elongated, sometimes edged by a membrane. 



109. Crex (Crake). Bill shorter than the head, thick at the 

 base, compressed, pointed ; front toes entirely divided, not margined ; 

 second and third primaries longest. Page 460. 



110. Rallus (Water Rail). Bill longer than the head, slender, 

 slightly curved downwards, comjjressed at the base, cylindrical at 

 the point ; front toe,s entii'ely divided, not margined ; third and 

 fourth primaries longest. Page 463. 



111. Gallinula (Moor-hen). Bill shorter than the head, stout, 

 straight, compressed ; upper mandible expanding at the base and 

 fonnmg a disk on the forehead ; toes entirely divided, bordered by 

 a narrow entire membrane. Page 465. 



111. FuLiCA (Coot). Bill shorter than the head, straight, 

 robust, convex above, much compressed ; upper mandible dilated 

 at the base, and forming a naked patch on the forehead ; all the 

 toes united at the base, and bordered by a scalloped membrane. 



Page 469. 



112. Phalaropus (Phalarope), BiU as long as the head, slender, 

 weak, depressed and blunt ; front toes connected as far as the first 

 joint, and bordered by a lobed and slightly serrated membrane ; 

 hind toe not bordered. Page 471. 



Order VI. NATATORES. 



(Web-footed Birds.) 



Body flattened horizontally ; legs short, often placed far behind ; 

 tarsi compressed ; toes generally four, the three in front, and some- 

 times all four, more or less united by a membrane (palmated). 



Family I. Anatid^. 



(ducks, geese, swans, &c.) 



Beak thick, broad, high at the base, covered wiLh a thin mem- 

 branous skin and ending in a nail-like horny tip ; edges of the 

 mandibles cut into thin parallel ridges, or toothed ; wings moderate ; 

 legs placed not very far behind ; feet, four-toed, palmated ; hind 

 toe free, placed high on the tarsus. Food, grass and aquatic weeds, 

 worms, insects, molluscs, and small fish. 



