A SYNOPSIS OF THE ORDERS. 



I.—ACCIPITEES.— Birds of Prey. Bill short, strong, stout at the 

 base, the ciilmen strongly curved. Feet strong, armed with 

 powerful talons ; talons capable of being bent under the 

 feet, the inner one being stronger than the others and more 

 curved ... ... ... . . ... • • 1 



II. — PASSERES.— Perching Birds proper. Palate tegithognathous. 

 Vomer is broadened and blunt or truncated at the autejfior 

 end. Maxillo-palatines widely separated ... ... 7 



III. — PICARIJj].^ — This is an order opposed to the Passeres, pri- 

 marily on account of the relatively smaller and weaker feet 

 in the Aui?tralian forms (example, Podargus). It is pro- 

 visional ... ... .. ... ... ... 54 



IV. — PSITTACI. — Feet permanently zygodactyl by reversion of the 

 fourth toe, covered with plates. Bill short and very stout, 

 strongly hooked or epignathous, and furnished with a cere 60 



V. — COLUMB.iE.— Pigeons. Rostrum swollen at the tip, convex ; 

 its basal portion has a soft skin, in which lie the nostrils, 

 with a valve over them. Tarsi covered fore and rear with 

 hexagonal scales. Palate schizognathous. Nostrils schizo- 

 rhinal ... ... ... ... ... ... 68 



VI. — GALLING. — Bill short and stout, the culmen arched and over- 

 hanging the mandible. Maxillo-palatines not coalesced ... 73 



VII.— HEMIPODIL— Button Quails, opposed to True Quails. Feet 

 with three toes (except Pedionomus, which has the hallux). 

 Maxillo-palatines not coalesced with one another ... ... 74 



VIII. — FULICARI^. — Rails. The characters are osteological (Cata- 

 logue Fossil Birds, pp. 143 and 144, Lydekker) ... ... 76 



IX.— ALECTORIDES.— True Crane (Native Companion) and Bus- 

 tard, in Australia. The angle of the mandible is always 

 truncated. The hind toe is raised above the level of the other 

 toes [Mesites (extra- Australian) excepted] ... ... 78 



X. — LIMICOLiE. — Palate schizognatiious. Primaries eleven, fifth 

 secondary wanting. After shaft to the contour feathers 

 present ... ... ... ... ... ... 79 



XI. — GAVI/E. — Front toes entirely connected by webs. Primaries, 

 ten large and visible, one minute and concealed. Rectrices 

 twelve. Palate schizognathous. Nasals schizorhinal ... 87 



