o50 Synopsis of the Birds 



Bill rather longer than the head, hard, straight, or only 

 curved at the point, compressed, rarely cylindrical, acute ; 

 margins entire, sharp ; lower mandible more or less navicu- 

 lar, ascending at tip : tongue short, fleshy. Head and neck 

 moderate. Feet almost central; tibia free, not drawn up 

 into the belly, anterior toes moderate, connected by a mem- 

 brane, sometimes entire, sometimes indented ; hind toe small, 

 free, simple, raised from the ground, touching it only at tip, 

 or wanting : nails curved, acute. Wings very long, acute . 

 two first primaries longest. Tail rather long, of twelve 

 feathers. 



Female hardly smaller, similar in color to the male. 

 Young differing much from the adult, and changing gradual- 

 ly with age. 



Aerial : excel in flight. Fly constantly on or about waters, 

 in which all can swim, but the greater part merely sit motion- 

 less, resting occasionally on the beach, or on bare poles, never 

 on trees. Unite in flocks, and undertake periodical journies ; 

 decoyed in great numbers around a wounded bird of their 

 kind, or any thing resembling it. Somewhat rapacious : food 

 exclusively animal, fishes, mollusca, eggs, and young water 

 birds ; seldom attacking living animals out of their favourite 

 element. Lay without much preparation in the clefts of 

 rocks, among the grass, or on sandy beaches, in holes dug 

 with their feet : eggs from one to four, generally two : sit 

 only during night and stormy weather ; both sexes incubate 

 and feed the young; young only leave the nest when full- 

 fledged. Voice harsh, screaming. Flesh tough, bad tasted* 



Intermediate between the waders, and the diviug aquatic birds. 



A. 



Bill of one piece. Nostrils immarginate. Feet 4- toed. 

 Longipennes, III. Pelagii, VieilL Ranz. Lari, Oken. 

 Lari, Sterna, Boie. 



