CLASS AVES: ORDER LAMELLIROSTRES. 



151 



States, has a rich and variegated plumage. It seeks its food 

 of larvae, weeds, and grains, upon the surface of the water 

 only, its compressed body and large feet enabling it to thread 

 its way among aquatic stems and to walk upon floating 



Fig. 



Fig. 255. 



Gallinnia martimca, Purple Gallinule. 



FuTica, americana, Coot. . 



plants. The Coot, with its lobed feet, is adapted to a more 

 exclusively aquatic life, and hence, swimming and diving 

 with great address, it is seldom seen on the land. 



ORDER LAMELLIROSTRES.* 



General Characteristics. The Geese, Ducks, etc., have 

 palmate feet and lamellate bills, with corresponding laciniate 

 processes on the sides of a fleshy tongue, ending in a horny tip. 



LAMELLIROSTRES. 



LEGS VERY I 



LONG, i 



LEGS SHORT, 



TIBIA MOSTLY BARE. 



TIBIA FEATHERED. 



Phoenicopteridje, Flamingo. 

 Anatidse, Duck. 



Phoenicopteridae. The Flamingo,] when feeding, lays 

 the upper part of its bill next the ground, and with its feet 

 stirs up the mud for small fish, insects, and seeds, which it 



* The old order Natatores (swimmers) has been broken tip by recent ornitholo- 

 gists into five distinct orders, viz: Lamellirostres, SteganopBdes, Longipennes, 

 Pygopodes and Sphenisci. 



t The flamingo, with its heron-like legs but full-webbed toes, eases the transition 

 from the waders to the swimmers. So many of its characteristics are common to 

 both, that it has been tossed back and forth from the days of Linnaeus to the present, 

 nor is it certain where it will be allowed to rest. 



