56 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



insects, and are good to eat, but are hardly taken 

 seriously as game-birds. 



CAPTIVITY. They thrive well, and often get remarkably 

 tame, so as to let themselves be touched. Several 

 species have been bred successfully in England and 

 Germany. 



DISTRIBUTION AND IMPORTANT SPECIES. The score 

 of species are found in warmer parts of the Old 

 World ; one (Turnix sylvatica) is found in Southern 

 Europe. In Australia occurs the only four-toed 

 species (Pedionomus torquatus). In India they are 

 called Button-quails. 



HERONS AND BITTERNS (Ardeida). 



DIAGNOSIS. Straight-billed wading-birds, with deep gape, 

 long hind-toe, and the two outer front toes webbed 

 at base. 



SIZE. From little bigger than a thrush to four feet high. 



FORM. Bill straight, hard, pointed, usually long, 

 with nostrils at the base at the end of a groove 

 running down the bill, corner of mouth below eye ; 

 thighs usually bare above hocks ; feet with long 

 shanks and four toes, the hinder strong, and rest- 

 ing on the ground, the two outer front toes united 

 at base by a short web ; middle claw toothed inside ; 

 wings large and broad ; tail short ; neck long, with 

 an S-like curvature in repose ; body meagre, flat- 

 sided. In the Boatbill the bill is flat. 



PLUMAGE AND COLOURATION. Feathering powdery, 

 usually grey or white, sometimes brown ; orna- 

 mental plumes common, often only worn in breed- 

 ing season. Seldom any sexual difference, but 

 young usually unlike adults. Albinism is more 

 common in some species of this family than in 

 almost any other birds. There is always a bare 



