402 CLASS XVI. 



in the upper part mostly with hexagonal scales. Toes short; three 

 anterior bordered by a narrow membrane and connected at the base; 

 hallux resting on its point. Wings with first quill longest. 



Sp. Numcnim Arquata Lath., Temm., Scolopax ArqiMta L., Buff. PI. enl. 

 8 1 8, Less. Ornith. PI. loo, fig. '2, Nadm. Taf. ■216; the common curlew; 

 broods on the dunes in Holland, inland in England on elevated spots ; this 

 species occurs in Europe, Asia and North Africa. Another smaller, with 

 short bill, is also very common in Holland, less common than the last in 

 England; does not breed in Holland; Numenius ph(eop us liATU., Scolopax 

 phceopus L., Naum. Taf. 217. These birds are almost all similarly marked, 

 grey-brown above; the tail is white with transverse black bars. The bill of 

 the young bird is much shorter ; a species occurs in North America of which 

 the bill is longer than that of the common curlew, Numenius longirostris 

 WiLS. Amer. Ornith. PI. 64, iig. 4. 



Ibidorhynchus ViGOES, Geay, Clorhynchus HoDGSON. (Cha- 

 racters nearly of Numenius, but feet cursorial, tridactylous. Wings 

 with second and third quills equal, longest.) 



Sp. Ibidorhynchus Sfruthersii, Vigors Proceed. Zool. Soc, Part i. 1830, 1831, 

 p. 1 74 ; a species unknown to me, from the Himalayan mountains. 



Family VII. Cultrirostres Cuv. {Herodii Illig., Ardeidm 

 Gray). Bill longer than head, thick, strong, mostly compressed, 

 more rarely depressed, broad. Feet tetradactylous, with toes con- 

 joined at the base or semipalmate. 



This Cuv. (spec, from genus Tantalus L., Numenius Briss.). 

 Bill very long, thickened at the base, tetragono-cylindric, arched. 

 Lateral groove produced to the tip of upper mandible. Nostrils 

 basal, placed at the sides of the flattened upper part of bill. Feet 

 elongate, with toes mostly somewhat long, hallux resting. Neck 

 elongate. Wings long, with second quill mostly longest. 



This is a numerous genus of which species occur in all the warm countries 

 of the world ; they have great resemblance to the preceding genus, but, 

 on the other hand, form the transition to the storks and herons. 



Sub-genus: Falcinellus Bechst. {Budocimus, Tantalides Wagl., 

 Ihis Gray). Tarsi elongate, covered anteriorly with transverse 

 scutella. Toes long, slender. 



Sp. Ibis viridis Gov., Tantalus Falcinellus I>., Buff. PI. enl. 819, Naum. 

 Taf. 219; head dark brown, body chestnut-brown below, back and wings 

 dark green with violet reflections ; this bird breeds in Asia, North Africa, 

 and in Eastern Europe, migrates also to other parts of Europe, and has been 



