GRALLATORES. 391 



SECTION X. 



AQUATIC BIRDS. (SECOND DIVISION.) TWO ORDERS. 



FIRST ORDER. GRALLATORES, (Lat. gratia, stilts.) WADERS 

 or STILT BIRDS. Grallce, (N. H. S. N. Y.) 



The Waders or Shore-Birds appear to hold an intermediate 

 rank between the Gallinaceous or Poultry Birds, and the Nata- 

 torial or Swimming groups, which are confined to the water. 

 M. Vigors is of the opinion that they, of all birds, enjoy most 

 equally the advantages of land and water. They are distin- 

 guished by the great length of the tarsi and legs, which raise up 

 their bodies as upon stilts; (Plate IX. fig. 27;) thus elevated, 

 they frequent the banks of rivers, lakes, marshes and the shores 

 of estuaries. The tibia or lower portion of the leg (a) is bare, 

 so that they can wade to a considerable depth without wetting 

 their plumage, and thus seize fishes and other aquatic animals 

 on which they feed. In this they are aided by the length of the 

 beak and neck, (Plate IX. fig. 6.) Such as are more especially 

 aquatic have webs to their toes. Their wings are long and pow- 

 erful, their flight strong and well sustained, enabling them to mi- 

 grate with the seasons, which most of them do ; thus becoming 

 widely distributed. In flying, they stretch out their long legs 

 behind, (Plate X. fig. 1,) as a counterbalance to their long necks; 

 and the tail being very short, its office as a rudder is transferred 

 to the legs. These birds have the power of maintaining a mo- 

 tionless position upon one leg for a considerable time. The 

 most aquatic of them place their nests among the reeds and 

 herbage of marshy places, or as the Herons, ( Ardeidce,) they 

 build in company on trees; those that frequent dry and stony 

 places, often lay their eggs upon the bare ground. The eggs 

 are usually colored and spotted, of a lengthened form, with one 

 end much pointed. The young run about as soon as hatched, 

 except in those species which live in pairs. 



This order includes the following families, viz. : (1) Chara- 

 driada, the Plovers ; (2) Ardeida, Herons ; (3) Rostrida, Spoon- 

 bills ; (4) Tantalida, Ibises ; (5) Scolopacida, Snipes ; (6) Otida, 

 Bustards; (7) Rallida, Rails, 



