STEGANOPODES. 329 



Order XVII. STEGANOPODES*. 



(By W. 11. OGILVIE-GRANT.) 



The various members of this Order (comprising the Cormorants, 

 Darters, Gannets, Frigate-birds, Tropic-birds, and Pelicans) differ 

 from all other birds in having the feet totipalmate — that is, with 

 all the four toes luiited one to the other by a web. 



The arrangement of the families of Steganopodes here adopted i" 

 for convenience, and is not meant to express relationship. Phala- 

 crocorax is doubtless the most typical totipalmate of the group. 

 Probably the most natural arrangement would be as follows : — 

 Tropic-birds, Pelicans, Cormorants and Darters, Gannets, Frigate- 

 birds. 



Key to the Families. 



I. Tail rounded or cuneate ; web between 



toes not emarginate, or only slightly 

 so. 



A. Middle tail-feathers not gi'eatly pro- 



duced. 



a. Bill sub-cylindrical and hooked at 



the extremity, or elongate and [p. 330. 



pointed ; nostrils nearly obsolete. 1. PhalacrocoracidSB; 



h. Bill sub-cylindrical and pointed ; no 



external nostrils 2. Sulidae, p. -423. 



c. Bill long and flattened ; with ex- 

 ternal nostrils 5. Pelecanidae, p. 460. 



B. Middle tail-feathers greatly produced ; 



bill moderately long, laterally com- 

 pressed and i)ointed ; nostrils dis- [p. 450. 

 tinct, linear 4. Phaethontidae, 



II. Tail deeply forked ; web between toes 



deeply emarginate . . . . , 3. FregatidaB, p. 442. 



* The following works refer to the osteology etc. of the Order ; — Brandt, 

 Mem. Acad. St. Petersb. (6) v. pt. ii. pp. 81-Ul(i, pis. ii.-x. (18o9) ; Shufeldt, 

 P. U.S. Nat. Miis. xi. pp. 286-315 (1888) [osteology]; Biguon, Mem. Sec. 

 Zool. Fr. ii. pp. 260-318, pis. sii. fig. 2, & xiii. (1889) ; Goodchild, P. Phys. 

 Soc. Ediub. X. pt. 2, pp. 317-333, pi. xv. (1891); xii. pp. 171-181 (1894) 

 [cubital coverts]; Shufeldt, Ibis, 1894, pp. 365 & 366 [fibula]; id. P.Z. S. 

 1894, pp. 160-162 ; Pycraft, P. Z. S. 1898, pp. 82-101, pis. vii., viii. 

 [osteology]. 



