GRALL.E. 253 



ORDER VII. GRALL^. 



The birds of this Order are characterized by 

 the great length of the tarsus and leg, and by 

 having the lower portion of the latter destitute 

 of feathers, and covered with regular plates like 

 the former. They are thus enabled to wade into 

 the water to a considerable depth without wet- 

 ting their plumage ; and thus to seize fishes, and 

 other animals of the waters, on which they feed. 

 To facilitate this object, the beak is usually 

 greatly lengthened, as is also the neck. Deriving 

 thus their support from the water, while yet they 

 are destitute, at least generally, of the power of 

 swimming, they form an interesting link of con- 

 nection between the terrestrial and aquatic birds. 

 The typical Families alone, however, maintain 

 this intermediate. character; for while on the one 

 hand, the Plovers and the Cranes, both in the 

 nature of their food and in their terrestrial habits, 

 conform rather to some of the Gallinaceous or 

 Cursorial groups, on the other, the faculty of 

 swimming possessed in great perfection by the 

 Rails, with their correspondent habits, bring 

 them into close association with the Natatorial 

 type. 



The wings of the Waders are usually long and 

 powerful ; and hence the flight of these birds is 

 rapid and well sustained : many of them make 



