492 DINORNIS. ORDER GRALLATORES. 



very remote period. It has been suggested by Professor Owen, 

 that, when the islands were first colonised by a party of Malays 

 driven thither in a storm (which was probably the mode in which 

 human beings first found their way thither), these birds were 

 eagerly sought, as being the only large animals that could serve 

 as food ; and that, by being improvidently destroyed, the whole 

 race was speedily extirpated. The preservation of its relative, 

 the Apteryx, might be due, he remarks, to its comparatively 

 small size, and to its nocturnal and burrowing habits. The 

 failure of food, resulting from the destruction of this race, may 

 have led, he also suggests, to the practice of cannibalism, for 

 which in spite of their many elevated qualities, the inhabitants 

 of New Zealand have been notorious. 



ORDER VI. GRALLATORES. 



443. THE scientific name of this order, which literally means 

 stilt-walkers, is, on the whole, more appropriate than the term 

 Waders, which is commonly applied to it. For all the Birds 

 which it includes are remarkable for the length of their legs, and 

 especially of the shank ; whilst many can scarcely be said to be 

 aquatic in their habits. The length of the lower part of the leg, 

 and the absence of feathers at the lower end of the tibia, enable 

 them to wade into water of a certain depth, without wetting 

 their plumage ; and thus to procure fish, mollusks, aquatic 

 worms and insects, &c., by means of their bills, which are usually 

 supported upon necks of a length proportional to that of their 

 legs. They are for the most part slender in form ; and thus pre- 

 sent a marked contrast with the robust bodies of the two preced- 

 ing orders. The wings of these Birds are usually long, and 

 adapted for rapid flight. The tail, however, is short ; and when 

 flying, the Birds stretch out their long legs behind, to counter- 

 balance their long necks, and to serve as a rudder. They are 

 very generally diffused over the globe ; and many of them make 

 periodical migrations of considerable length. They generally 

 construct their nests upon the ground, concealing them among 



