OF ()RNITHOL()(JY 8;") 



on as a permanent distinguishiog character ; the legs oecu])y 

 a position midway between those of the preceding and of the 

 following ortlers, and more nearly balance the body as in the 

 Insessores or Perching Birds; hind toe, when present, free; 

 \vings of special importance, and long — nsually extending to 

 beyond the base of the tail — flat, and narrow, hence the 

 power of flight is strong and flight swift, well-snstaiued, and 

 often long-continued, and the usually light body is well in 

 keeping with these characteristics ; nostrils open ; no pouch 

 on throat ; web of feet variable in the different families. The 

 two sub-orders are : 



Sub-order 1 LARIDES or Gulls, Terns, etc. 



Latin larntf, Greek laros, " a ravenous sea-bird, tlie mew. 

 The birds of this sub-order would be better characterized 

 by their families than collectively. Xostrils not tubular but 

 linear. The Larides comprise four families, quite distinct, 

 and with the birds of each conforming w^ell with each other — 

 to the more advanced student, a glance will usually determine, 

 without question, to which of the four a specimen belongs. 



Sub-order 2 FROCELLARIDES or Petrels, etc. 



l,.atin procelhi, a storm bird. 

 The birds here comprise tNvo families, of which the familiar 

 Albati'os forms one of them and the difficulty is much dimin- 

 ished. Nostrils tubular. 



ORDER XI PYGOPODES 



Greek jjjye, buttock or rump ["tail ']; Greek J3t<(*s, a foot. 

 Our last order comprise what are usually characterised as 

 '' the Diving Birds." They walk with difficulty as their legs, 

 as their name indicates, are situated at the extreme end of the 

 buttock or rump, so that walking with any degree of comfort 

 is impossible — their gate being an extremely awkward wad- 

 dle, and they do as little walking as possible. The wings are 

 more or less rudimentary, — long, narrow, and for the most 

 part not well-developed. Hind toe, when present, free ; tail 



