206 THE STORY OF THE BIRDS. 
est in all modern classifications (after the ostriches), 
it seems likely that we should have begun with them. 
But starting at the ostriches, the kinship has led us 
along in this way. 
Four arrow lines (12, 18, 21, and 23) are drawn 
backward out of each member of the great Diver 
group, to show a rather probable kinship behind them 
—among the fossil divers—quite independent of the 
tie ostrichward. 
Grebes are akin to loons perhaps more closely 
than their appearance shows, but their closest tie is 
more likely toward the rail forms. Below them, on 
our diagram, is also a faint strain (12-13) running to 
the goose forms. 
The Goose group shows by its digestive system 
that it may have its origin in the Great Beyond be- 
tween the grebes and loons, as indicated by the up- 
ward arrow. An arrow also runs toward the Fowl 
group, since, vza@ the screamers, they point that way 
slightly also. To the right (13-20) there are some in- 
dications of resemblance to the pelican forms, but 
their closest relationship leads off wa the flamingo 
toward the Heron group (18-14 and 15). See the 
notes about feeding methods (Chapter X XII), where 
some dry-land members of this great group are men- 
tioned. Some petrels also have faint laminated 
(strainerlike) beaks. 
In structure the flamingo is a connecting link be- 
tween goose forms and stork forms, but it is closer 
to the latter. In its rough egg and some of its struc- 
ture it is like the pelican forms (14-20), and in its 
