ANATHXE. 



the last family, the terminal genera of which affect 

 more pelagic situations, walk and fly awkwardly, but 

 dive admirably. 



As it is not intended to enter into a discussion of 

 the merits of the above system, the truth of which 

 there can be no reason to doubt, when properly 

 investigated, I shall proceed to the description of the 

 species of that family which more immediately con- 

 nects itself with the preceding order. 



AXATID^E. 



J. HE birds of this family have the beak very stout 

 and covered with a soft membranous skin; its edge 

 is either armed with lamina?, or with small denticula- 

 tions : it is more or less depressed, and its base is often 

 furnished with a fleshy protuberance : towards the tip 

 it is depressed, rounded, and obtuse; the tip itself 

 armed with a nail. The nostrils are near the surface of 

 the beak, at some distance from the base, oval, and half 

 closed by a flat membrane, which covers the nasal 

 channel. The legs are short, naked a little above 

 the knee, and placed deeply in the abdomen : the 

 toes are four in number, of which three are placed 

 forwards and webbed ; the hinder one is free, and 

 placed higher up on the tarsi than the others, and is 

 . in some genera furnished with a lobated appendage. 

 The wings are of medial length. The structure of 

 the trachea is very extraordinary in several of the 



