SYSTEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OE THE GENERA OF BIRDS xvii 



ORDER STEGANOPODES 



Hind toe articulated on the inner surface of the tarsus, united to other 

 toes by a web. 



FAMILY PELECANID^ 



Bill strong, edges of the mandibles minutely toothed ; wings long ; legs 

 short ; toes four, all connected by a membrane. 



70. Phalacrocorax (Cormorant). Bill straight, longer than the head, 



compressed ; upper mandible much hooked at the point ; face 

 and throat naked ; inner edge of the middle claw serrated ; tail 

 rounded, rigid. Page 165 



71. SuLA (Gannet). Bill straight, longer than the head, compressed, 



tapering to a point, which is but slightly curved ; face and throat 

 naked ; inner edge of the middle claw serrated ; tail graduated. 



Page 168 



ORDER HERODIONES 



Hallux free, not united to other toes by a web. 



FAMILY ARDEID.E 



(Herons) 



Hind toe on same plane as others. Bill rounded or ridged ; notched, 

 with no hook at end. Outer toe with broad basal web, obsolete at base of 

 inner toe ; middle claw pectinated, loral space bare ; ;powder down patches 

 present. 



72. Ardea (Herons). Edges of mandibles distinctly serrated ; head 



crested ; nape feathers elongated and ornamented ; plumes of 

 fore-neck not disintegrated ; no dorsal train. Page 173 



^3. Nycticorax (Night Heron). Bill scarcely longer than the head, 

 much compressed ; neck rather thick and short ; crest of three 

 very long tapering feathers. In other respects resembling Ardea. 



Page 173 



74. Botaurus (Bittern). Bill scarcely longer than the head, much com. 



pressed ; neck thick, clothed in front with long and loose feathers 

 In other respects resembling Ardea. Page 173 



FAMILY' CICONIID.E 



(Storks) 



Hind toe elevated above plane of others ; no powder down patches ; bill 

 not hooked at tip. 



75. CicoNiA (Stork). Bill much longer than the head, stout, tapering to 



a point ; nostrils near the base, pierced in the horny substance of 

 the bill ; tarsi very long ; claws not pectinated ; wings moderate, 

 third, fourth, and fifth primaries longest. Page 175 



FAMILY PLATALEID^ 



(Spoonbills) 

 Bill flattened, narrow in middle, and widening out into a spoon-shaped end. 



76. Platal£a (Spoonbill). Head partly bare, auricular orifice covered 



with plumes. Nostrils elongated and in a shallow depression. 



Page 176 



