ORDER V. GRALLATORES. 397 



ORDER Y. GRALLATORES. 1 WADERS. 



Legs, neck, and usually the bill, much lengthened; tibia bare 

 for a certain distance above the tarsal joint ; nostrils exposed ; tail 

 usually very short ; the species live along or near the water, more 

 rarely in dry plains, wading, never swimming habitually, except 

 perhaps in the case of the Phalaropes. 



The bill of the Grallatores is usually in direct proportion to the 

 length of legs and neck. The toes vary, but are usually connected 

 at the base by a membrane, which sometimes extends almost or 

 quite to the claws. 



The Grallatores, like the Rasores and Natatores, are divisible 

 into two sub-orders, according as the species rear and feed their 

 young in nests, or allow them to shift for themselves. The follow- 

 ing diagnoses express the general character of these subdivisions : 



HERODIONES. Face or lores more or less naked, or else 

 covered with feathers different from those on the rest of the 

 body, except in some Gruidce ; bill nearly as thick at the base as 

 the skull ; hind toe generally nearly on same level with the ante- 

 rior ; young reared in nests, and requiring to be fed by the parent. 



GRALLJE. Lores with feathers similar to those on the rest of 

 the body ; bill contracted at base, where it is usually smaller than 

 the skull ; hind toe generally elevated ; young running about at 

 birth, and able to feed themselves. 



1 See Introduction. 



