OF ORNITHOLOGY 31 



contains but a single species which might, almost equally well, 

 belong to the previous order, I refer to the (tUAN. 



The Gfan differs from all the other related birds by hav- 

 ing what are called pigeon-like toes, the hind toe being situ- 

 ated scarcely if any above a level with the others, and longer 

 than in the other families. 



ORDER VII GRALLATORES 



Latin gralhif<»\ ' one who jioes or runs on stilts." 

 Science is not prepared to wholly do away with this old yet 

 perhaps well-chosen name. These are the Waders. The old 

 name o{ Shore Birds, often applied to the whole order, is mis- 

 leading, as several of the species seldom visit shoreward, but 

 remain in the interior. The special characteristics of the or- 

 der are : Legs long (with but few exceptions), naked far 

 above the knee joint, thigh joint generally not enclosed within 

 the body ; toes with no, or only a very small, basal mem- 

 brane ; nostrils exposed and not covered by feathers or bris- 

 tles ; bill usually very long (or rather long, and weak, and 

 thin) ; tail short. 



Some authorities divide this order into two sub-orders, the 

 second of these being again divided into what they term 

 " Tribes " ; but this seems unnecessary, because, of there so- 

 called Tribes, one, the third, is a distinct Sub-order, and the 

 other two make a false separation of another Sub-order. Our 

 best writers make three full Sub-orders, as follows : 



[Division A. Young able to run about from the time they 

 are hatched from the egg, Pr^ecoces]. 



Sub-order 1 LIMICOL-ffl 



Latin Umicola, " a dweller in the mud." 

 Shore Birds. — Hind toe short and elevated, or absent ; bill 

 short or slender, membranous, and with nostrils usually in a 

 slit in the membrane; plump bodied. 



