CHAPTER IV 
NEORNITHES CARINATAE CONTINUED 
BRIGADE I—-LEGION II (PELARGOMORPHAE). ORDERS: CICONII- 
FORMES——ANSERIFORMES——FALCONIFORMES 
Order V. CICONIIFORMES. 
THE Order Ciconiiformes is a somewhat unwieldy assemblage con- 
sisting mainly of Water-birds, which may be classed under the 
Sub-Orders STEGANOPODES, ARDEAE, CICONIAE, and PHOENICOPTERI. 
Of these the first contains the Phaéthontidae, or Tropic-birds, the 
Sulidae or Gannets, the Phalacrocoracidae or Cormorants and 
Darters, the Hregatidae or Frigate-birds, and the Pelecanidae or’ 
Pelicans ; the second the Ardeidae or Herons and Bitterns, and the 
Scopidae with the Umbrette; the third the Ciconiidae or Storks and 
“ Wood-Ibises,” and the Jbididae or true Ibises and Spoon-bills ; 
while the fourth comprises the Phaenicopteridae or Flamingos, 
and the extinct genus Palaelodus, for which Dr. Gadow recognises 
a separate family Palaelodidae. Among these the greatest 
affinity to the Procellariiformes is exhibited by the Steganopodes, 
whereas the Phoenicopteri are so closely allied to the Anseriformes 
that not a few writers prefer to include them in that Order. 
The STEGANOPODES are aquatic and chiefly marine birds, so 
far homogeneous in structure that the details may well be set 
forth in common; while in some points they bear a great resem- 
blance to the Cathartidae.’ Each Family contains a single genus, 
except the Phalacrocoracidae, where Phalacrocoraz and Plotus 
may be considered the equivalents of Sub-families. 
The sternum is long, especially in Sula, while the large head 
and short thick neck of Phaéthon and Fregata may be contrasted 
with the small head and remarkably long neck of Phalacrocoraa, 
and still more of Plotus ; Sula and Pelecanus bemg moderate in 
1 H. Gadow, Bronn’s Thier-Reich, Aves, Syst. Theil. 1893, p. 135. 
