56 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



insects, and are good to eat, but are hardly taken 

 seriously as game-birds. 



Captivity. — They thrive well, and often get remarkably 

 tame, so as to let themselves be touched. Several 

 species have been bred successfully in England and 

 Germany. 



Distribution and Important Species. — The score 

 of species are found in warmer parts of the Old 

 World ; one (Turnix sylvatica) is found in Southern 

 Europe. In Australia occurs the only four-toed 

 species [Pedionomus torquatus). In India they are 

 called Button-quails. 



Herons and Bitterns (Ardeidcu). 



Diagnosis. — Straight-billed wading-hirds^ with deep gape, 

 long hind-toe, and the two outer front toes webbed 

 at base. 



Size. — From little bigger than a thrush to four feet high. 



Form. — Bill straight, hard, pointed, usually long, 

 with nostrils at the base at the end of a groove 

 running down the bill, corner of mouth below eye ; 

 thighs usually bare above hoicks ; feet with long 

 shanks and four toes, the hinder strong, and rest- 

 ing on the ground, the two outer front toes united 

 at base by a short web ; middle claw toothed inside ; 

 wings large and broad ; tail short ; neck long, with 

 an S-like curvature in repose ; body meagre, flat- 

 sided. In the Bo at bill the bill is flat. 



Plumage and Colouration. — Feathering powdery, 

 usually grey or white, sometimes brown ; orna- 

 mental plumes common, often only worn in breed- 

 ing season. Seldom any sexual difference, but 

 young usually unlike adults. Albinism is more 

 common in some species of this family than in 

 almost any other birds. There is always a bare 



