216 GRALLATORES. CURSORIUS. 



GENUS CURSORIUS, LATH. SWIFTFOOT. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill as short or shorter than the head, depressed at the 

 base, curved towards the end, and pointed. Tomia of the 

 under mandible covered by those of the upper one, and fol- 

 lowing its curve. 



Nostrils basal, lateral, oval, and surrounded by a small 

 protuberance. 



Wings of mean length, having the first quill-feather nearly 

 equal to the second, which is the longest. 



Legs long, slender, with the tibiae naked for a consider- 

 able space above the tarsal joint. Feet three-toed ; toes all 

 directed forwards, short, and united at their base by a mem- 

 brane. Naked part of the tibiae, front of the tarsus, and up- 

 per part of the toes scutellated. In nails, that of the middle 

 toe broad, with its inner margin pectinated. 



The genus Cursorius was established by LATHAM, for 

 the reception of the two species then known, and which had 

 been included by GMELIN in the genus Charadrius of LIN- 

 N^US, notwithstanding they exhibited well-marked charac- 

 ters peculiar to themselves. TEMMINCK adopted LATHAM'S 

 title, but transferred the genus from its situation, adjoining 

 to the Plovers, to his order Cursorius ; which nearly answers 

 to the family of Struthionid^ in the rasorial order of the 

 present system. This arrangement was also adopted in the 

 volume of letter-press that accompanied the first series of the 

 " Illustrations of British Ornithology ;" but as subsequent 

 investigation into the affinities of the genus seems confirma- 

 tive of the correctness of the opinion of Mr VIGORS, with re- 

 spect to the situation it holds in the natural arrangement, I 

 have again placed it amongst the Charadriada, in the order 



