A SYNOPSIS OF THE ORDERS. 



PAGE 



I. ACCIPITRES. Birds of Prey. Bill short, strong, stout at the 

 base, the culmen strongly curved. Feet strong, armed with 

 powerful talons ; talons capable of being bent under the 

 feet, the inner one being stronger than the others and more 

 curved ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 



II. PASSERES. Perching Birds proper. Palate segithognathous. 

 Vomer is broadened and blunt or truncated at the anterior 

 end. Maxillo-palatines widely separated ... ... 7 



III. PICARI^E. This is an order opposed to the Passeres, pri- 

 marily on account of the relatively smaller and weaker feet 

 in the Australian forms (example, Podargus). It is pro- 

 visional ... ... ... ... ... ... 54 



IV. PSITTACI. Feet permanently zygodactyl by reversion of the 

 fourth toe, covered with plates. Bill short and very stout, 

 Btrongly hooked or epignathous, and furnished with a cere GO 



V. COLUMB^E. Pigeons. Rostrum swollen at the tip, convex ; 

 its basal portion has a soft skin, in which lie the nostrils, 

 with a valve over them. Tarsi covered fore and rear with 

 hexagonal scales. Palate schizognathous. Nostrils schizo- 

 rhinal ... ... ... ... ... ... 68 



VI. GALLIN^E. Bill short and stout, the culmen arched and over- 

 hanging the mandible. Maxillo-palatines not coalesced ... 73 



VII. HEMIPODIL Button Quails, opposed to True Quails. Feet 

 with three toes (except Pedionomus, which has the hallux). 

 Maxillo-palatines not coalesced with one another ... ... 74 



VIII. FULICARI^E. Rails. The characters are osteological (Cata- 

 logue Fossil Birds, pp. 143 and 144, Lydekker) ... ... 76 



IX. ALECTORIDES. True Crane (Native Companion) and Bus- 

 tard, in Australia. The angle of the mandible is always 

 truncated. The hind toe is raised above the level of the other 

 toes. [Mesites (extra-Australian) excepted] ... ... 78 



X. LIMICOL^E. Palate schizognathous. Primaries eleven, fifth 

 secondary wanting. After shaft to the contour feathers 

 present ... ... ... ... ... ... 79 



XI. GAVI^E. Front toes entirely connected by webs. Primaries, 

 ten large and visible, one minute and concealed. Rectrices 

 twelve. Palate schizognathous. Nasals schizorhinal ... 87 



