82 THE STORY OF THE BIRDS 



Many of the species are gregarious at some time 

 or another ; some are migratory. The flight is 

 powerful and well sustained. Their cooing 

 notes seem common to the entire group. Their 

 food consists principally of grain, seeds, shoots 

 of vegetation, and fruits. The nests generally 

 are slight platforms of sticks, but some species 

 breed in holes of trees or rocks, others on the 

 ground. The eggs are normally two in number, 

 but in some forms three are said to be laid, in 

 others but one. These are always white, or 

 some pale shade of cream in colour. The 

 young are hatched blind, but with a clothing 

 of thin yellowish down, and are dependent upon 

 their parents for a long period. As a rule in- 

 cubation in this group is performed by both 

 sexes. 



Our next order will be the Charadriiformes. 

 This may be taken to include the Bustards, 

 Plovers, Sandpipers, and Jacanas, together with 

 the aberrant and more generalised and archaic 

 forms known as the Sheath-bills, the Crab 

 Plover, and the Seed Snipes. Some or all of 

 these may possibly require to be included in 

 several sub-orders ; all of them at least deserve 

 family rank. The present order may be said 

 then to consist of nine fairly well denned 



