of the United States. 300 



Female similar to the male. Young but little distinguished 

 from the parents. Moult annually. 



Solitary : quiet : shy. Live in arid, desert plains, care- 

 fully concealed, and starting rapidly to a great elevation, as 

 soon us aware of bring discovered. Alight on trees : walk 

 with great agility, moving the tail whin frightened. Feed 

 principally on frogs and insects. Build in the grass. Voice 

 loud, shnll. 



Peculiar to the warmer parts of America. Composed of 

 but one well ascertained species. Almost intermediate be- 

 tween Ardea and Nu men his : closely related t<i Rallus, (Fami- 

 ly Macrodactyli) with which it has been classed by Illiger and 

 myself. 



237. Aramus scolopaceus, Vieill. Brown, glossed with green j 

 feathers longitudinally white in the middle ; rump, quills, and 

 tail feathers, immaculate. 



Scolopaceous Courlan, Aramus scolopaceus, Nob. Am. 

 Orn. Hi. 



Inhabits Florida, and other warm parts of America : visits 

 occasionally the shores of the middle states. Common in 

 the island of Cuba. 



FAMILY XrX. FALCATI. 



FJcati, III. Falcirostres, Vieill. Ranz. 



Cullrirostres, Longirostres, Cuv. Latr. Ardeida, Vigors. 



Bill very long, stout at base, subulate, falcate, cylindri- 

 cal at tip; edges muih bent in, sharp. Face naked ; throat 

 dilatable. Neck elongated. Feet elongated, 4-toed ; naked 

 space of the tibia extensive ; tarsus reticulated ; toes elonga- 

 ted, bordered with a narrow membrane, connecting the fore 

 toes at base ; hind toe articulated with the tarsus low 

 down, half as long as the middle one, bearing almost its whole 

 length on the ground. Wings moderate, obtuse, tubercula- 

 ted. Tail short, of twelve feathers. 



Vol. II. 39 



