GRALLATORLE. 331 



rarely, a species belonging to the north of Africa, of a light fawn 

 colour, with a whitish belly, the Charadrius gallicus, Gm. ; Curso- 

 rius isabelUnus, Meyer, Enl. 795 ; and another has been brought 

 from India of a brownish-grey, with a red breast, the Ch, coroman- 

 delicus, Curs, asiaticus, Lath. Vieill. Gal. 232; Enl. 892. Each of 

 them has a black streak and a white one behind the eye. Their 

 name is derived from the swiftness with which they run. Nothing 

 is known with respect to their habits*. 

 As far as we can judge from their exterior, it is here that we can most 

 conveniently place the 



Cariama, Briss. — Microdactylus, Geoff. — DicHOLOPHUsf, 

 Illig. 



Whose bill is longer and more hooked, the commissure extending under 

 the eye, which gives them somewhat of the physiognomy and disposition 

 of birds of prey, and approximates them somewhat to the Herons, Their 

 extremely long and scutellated legs are terminated by very short toes, 

 slightly palmated at the base, and by a thumb which cannot reach the 

 ground. 



One species only is known, and that is from South America, the 

 Micro cristatus, Geoff. ; Palamedea cristata, Gm. ; Saria, Azzar. ; 

 Ann. du Mus. d'Hist. Nat. XIII, pi. xxvi; Col. 237, and Vieill. 

 Gal. 259. It is larger than the Heron, and feeds on lizards and in- 

 sects, which it hunts for on high grounds, and along the edges of 

 forests. Its plumage is a fawn-coloured grey, waved with brown; 

 some slender feathers on the base of the bill form a light tuft which 

 inclines forwards. It flies but seldom, and then badly; its loud 

 voice resembles that of a young Turkey. As its flesh is much es- 

 teemed, it has been domesticated in several places. 



FAMILY III. 



CULTRIROSTRES. 



This family is recognised by the thick, long, and strong bill, which is 

 most generally trenchant and pointed, and is almost wholly composed of 

 the birds comprised in the genus Ardea of Linnaeus. In a great num- 

 ber of species, the trachea of the male forms various curves ; their cceca 

 are short, and even the true Herons have but one. 



• Add the Coure-vile a ailes violettes {Curs. Chakopterus, T.), Col. 29S;— the C. (i 

 double collier (C. bicinctus, T.), Man. Orn.; — Curs. TemlncJcii, Swains. Zool. 111. 106. 



t Microdactylus, short-finger. Dicholophus, crest in two rows. Ifa-ma/opus, blood- 

 coloured feet. M. Vieillot has preferred the barbarous name of Cariama, which must 

 be pronounced qariama. 



