392 BIRDS. 



Amongst the more important families of the Natatores may 

 be enumerated the Penguins (Spheniscidce), the Auks (Alcida), 

 the Gulls and Terns (Larida], the Petrels (Procellarida\ the 

 Pelicans (Pelicanus], the Cormorants (Phalacrocorax), the Gan- 

 nets (Su/a), the Ducks (Anatida\ the Geese (AnseriruK\ and 

 the Swans (Cygnida). 



As might have been expected, the remains of Natatorial 

 Birds are, speaking comparatively, not uncommon as fossils. 

 The earliest traces of this order in past time appear in the 

 Cretaceous series, which has yielded in Europe the Cimolornis 

 (supposed to be allied to the Albatross), and in North America 

 the genera Graculavus, Hesperornis, Laornis, Telmatornis, and 

 Palczotringa. The Eocene Tertiary has a form believed to be 

 nearly allied to the living Pelicans, and another supposed to be 

 related to the Mergansers. The Ducks and Flamingos appear 

 for the first time in the Miocene, and the Post-tertiary deposits 

 have yielded remains of Geese, Gulls, Terns, Divers, and Guil- 

 lemots, or of birds allied to these. 



ORDER II. GRALLATORES. The birds comprising the order 

 of the Gr dilator es, or Waders, for the most part frequent the 

 banks of rivers and lakes, the shores of estuaries, marshes, 

 lagoons, and shallow pools, though some of them keep almost 

 exclusively to dry land, preferring, however, moist and damp 

 situations. In accordance with their semi-aquatic, amphibious 

 habits, the Waders are distinguished by the great length of 

 their legs ; the increase in length being mainly due to the 

 great elongation of the tarso-metatarsus. The legs are also 

 unfeathered from the lower end of the tibia downwards. The 

 toes are elongated and straight, and are never completely 

 palmate, though sometimes semi-palmate. There are three 

 anterior toes, and usually a short hallux, but the latter may be 

 wanting. The wings are long, and the power of flight usually 

 considerable ; but the tail is short, and the long legs are 

 stretched out behind in flight to compensate for the brevity 

 of the tail. The body is generally slender, and the neck and 

 beak usually of considerable length. 



Amongst the more important Grallatorial Birds are the Rails 

 (Rallidce), Water-hens (Gallinufa), Cranes (Gruidce), Herons 

 (Ardeida!\ Storks (Ciconince), Snipes (Scolopaadcz), Sandpipers 

 (Tringidce), Curlews (Numenius), Plovers (Charadriid<z\ and 

 Bustards (Otidce). 



As in the case of the Natatores, the earliest traces of the 

 Waders appear to belong to the Cretaceous period. These 

 consist of bones which have been referred to a Snipe-like bird 

 (Scolopax), and which have been obtained from the Greensand 



