CRANE. GRALLATORES. GRUS. 3 



Grits of LINN.EUS may be considered typical ; this family al- 

 so contains the genus Psophia, closely connected with An- 

 thropoides in the form and shortness of the bill, and which 

 also, in plumage and other particulars, indicates its affinity 

 to the Struthion-ida ; and the genus Cariama of BRISSON 

 ( Dicholoplius of ILLIGER) also appears to be in its natural 

 situation in this family ; and it is through some of the mem- 

 bers of this group that a more immediate link with the Cha- 

 radriadce (which meet the present family at the correspond- 

 ing extreme of the order) is effected. 



GENUS GRUS. CRANE. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill longer than the head, straight, strong, laterally com- 

 pressed, the tip convexo-conical, pointed. Mandibles of 

 equal length and height ; cuhnen, from the base to one-half of 

 the length of the bill, flat and indistinct, from thence to the 

 tip rounded ; nasal furrow reaching rather beyond the mid- 

 dle of the bill, broad and deep. Tomia straight, parallel, 

 smooth, except near the tip, where they are slightly and fine- 

 ly serrated. Ascending angle of the lower mandible with a 

 rounded culmen. 



Nostrils placed horizontally in the anterior part of the fur- 

 row, large, concave, and pervious, posteriorly closed by the 

 membrane. 



Tongue broad, fleshy, and sharp-pointed. 



Legs long, with great part of the tibia naked. Feet four- 

 toed ; toes strong and rather short, the middle one about one- 

 third the length of the tarsus, and joined to the exterior by a 

 membrane reaching almost as far as the second phalange ; the 

 interior one nearly free. Hind toe short, dependent, articu- 

 lated upon the tarsus, above the plane of the others. Claws 

 short, strong, sharp, falcated, and entire, Front of the tarsus 

 and toes scutellated ; under part of the toes roughly reticu- 

 lated. 



