416 NATATORES. 



in Egypt? What is said of its size and plumage? How was this and the 

 preceding sp. regarded by the ancient Egyptians? What is the length of 

 the American White Ibis ? What Island is noted as a resort for these 

 birds ? How many of their nests did Aud. count in a single tree ? What 

 else is said of the White I. ? Give an account of the Scarlet I. Of the 

 Wood I. Where are other species found? 



What is the 5th FAMILY ? What is the most prominent character of this 

 family? What use is made of this organ? What other characters are 

 mentioned? What is the color of their plumage? To what places do 

 they resort? What is said of their distribution? How does Mr. G. R. 

 Gray divide them ? Which is the largest of the Curlews ? What is the 

 generic name? What other sp. are mentioned? What is the generic 

 name of the Tattler? Why is the Tell-Tale Tattler so called? What is said 

 of it? What of the Spotted Sand L.? Of the Gray Plover ? Of the Avo- 

 set ? Of the Blue-necked Stilt ? Of the Knot ? Of Wilson s Sand-Piper ? 

 Of the Sanderling? Of the Ruff? 



Mention the 6th FAMILY. In what genus are they comprehended? What 

 is said of the bills, &c. ? How large is the Great Bustard? Does any other 

 European bird exceed it in size ? For what is it noted ? Has it a gular 

 pouch? What else is said of it. What sp. of Bustards are mentioned? 

 What is said of the Agama, or Gold-breasted Trumpeter? 



What is the 7th FAMILY ? How are they separated from the other fami 

 lies of this order ? How are they aided by their keel-like form ? In what 

 respects do they deviate from the other groups of wading birds? Why are 

 they called Rails? What does Swainsgn say of their structure? What is 

 said of their flesh, nests, toes, &c. ? What of their motion in the air and 

 on the ground? Which are the different sp. and what is said of them? 

 What SUB-FAMILY is mentioned ? What is said respecting their proper po 

 sition? Give the characters of the gen. Phoenicopterus. Where is the 

 European Flamingo found? What places does it frequent? What is said 

 of it? Does the American sp. differ much from the E. ? Upon what does 

 it feed? Do vegetable substances form any part of its diet? What may 

 its bill be called, and why ? Where is the Red Flamingo found? 



SECTION XL 



SECOND ORDER. WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



NATATORES, (Lat. Swimmers.) ANSERES, (Lat. anser, a goose.) 



Linn. 



We come now to the last order of birds, viz. : those which are 

 web-footed. These are numerous and widely distributed. Mov 

 ing in an element which is everywhere essentially the same, we 

 find, as we might naturally expect, that these birds are repre 

 sented, not only by peculiar genera in every part of the world, 

 but that particular species, as of the Ducks, the Terns, and the 

 Petrels, encircle the globe. 



