INTRODUCTION. XXV 



front ; three toes in front, the outer united to the middle one by a distinct 

 membrane, one toe behind, directed inwards ; claws long, compressed, 

 sharp, the middle claw pectinated on the inside (p. 367). 



Nycticorax, Stephens. — Bill about the same length as the head, bulky, strong, 

 broad, and dilated at the base ; upper mandible with the culmen curved, and 

 notched near the tip ; under mandible straight. Nostrils longitudinal, 

 lateral, but little in advance of the base of the beak, placed in a groove, 

 and partly covered by a membrane ; lore and orbits naked. Tail of twelve 

 broad and moderately hard feathers. Legs of moderate length, bare for a 

 short distance above the tarsal joint ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, with 

 hexagonal scutellre in front ; the outer and middle toe united by a membrane ; 

 claws short, that of the middle toe pectinated (p. 379)- 



Ardetta, G. R. Gray. — Bill longer than the head, slender, pointed, serrated. 

 Nostrils basal, linear, longitudinal ; space in front of the eye bare. Wings 

 broad, rather rounded ; the second quill barely longer than the first, and a 

 little longer than the third. Tail of ten soft feathers, short and rounded. 

 Legs rather short, the tibia feathered nearly to the joint ; tarsus anteriorly 

 scutellated ; the middle toe and claw about the length of the tarsus, and its 

 claw pectinated on the inner edge (p. 381). 



BOTAURUS, Stephens. — Bill rather longer than the head, strong, higher than broad, 

 the mandibles of equal length, upper mandible curved downwards. Nostrils 

 basal, linear, longitudinal, lodged in a furrow, and partly covered by a naked 

 membrane. Wing long, rather rounded, the first three quills the longest and 

 nearly equal. Tail of ten soft feathers. Legs of moderate length ; tarsi 

 scutellated ; toes long and slender, all unequal, the middle toe and claw 

 longer than the tarsus ; hind toe long, articulated with the inner toe and 

 on the same plane ; claws long, especially the hind claw, that of the middle 

 toe pectinated (p. 383). 



Family CICONIID.-E. 



CicoxiA, Brisson. — Bill longer than the head, straight, strong, and pointed. 

 Nostrils pierced longitudinally in the horny substance. Eyes surrounded by 

 a naked skin. Wings rather large, the first quill shorter than the second, the 

 third and fourth quills the longest in the wing. Plumage without powder- 

 down tracts. Tail short and slightly rounded. Legs long ; feet with four 

 rather short toes, the three in front united by a membrane as far as the first 

 joint, the hind toe elevated ; claws short, broad, obtuse, the middle claw not 

 pectinated (p. 387). 



Family IBIDID.E. 



Plegadis, Kaup. — Bill long, slender, decurved, large at the base, the point 

 depressed, obtuse, rounded ; upper mandible deeply grooved throughout its 

 length. Nostrils on the upper surface and near the base of the beak, oblong, 

 narrow, pierced in the membrane which covers part of the aperture. Face 

 and lores without feathers. Wings moderate ; the first quill shorter than 

 the second and third, which are the longest. Tail of twelve feathers, 

 moderate, even. Legs rather long, naked above the tarsal joint ; tarsus 

 plated in front ; three toes in front, one behind ; the anterior toes united by 

 a membrane, hind toe long and resting its length on the ground. Plumage 

 more or less Stork-like, wanting the powder-down tracts of the Herons 

 (p. 391)- ■ ■ 



