CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



INTRODUCTION vii 



KEY TO THE HIGHER GROUPS 1 



Order PYGOPODES The Diving Birds 4 



Family Podicipidse The Grebes 4 



" Urinatoridas The Loons 6 



" Alcidse The Auks, Murres, etc 8 



Order LONGIPENNES The Long-winged Swimmers 20 



Family Stercorariidae The Skuas and Jaegers 20 



" Laridse The Gulls and Terns 23 



" Rynchopidffl The Skimmers 48 



Order TUBINARES The Tube-nosed Swimmers 50 



Family Diomedeidse The Albatrosses 50 



" Procellariidse The Fulmars and Shearwaters 53 



Order STEGANOPODES The Totipalmate Swimmers 73 



Family Phaethontidae The Tropic Birds 73 



" Sulidce The Gannets 74 



" Anhingidas The Darters 76 



" Phalacrocoracidae The Cormorants 77 



" Pelecanidaa The Pelicans 81 



" Fregatidae The Man-o'- War Birds 82 



Order ANSERES The Lamellirostral Swimmers . . . 84 



Family Anatidaa The Ducks, Geese, and Swans 84 



Order ODONTOGLOSSXE The Lamellirostral Waders 121 



Family Phoenicopteridse The Flamingoes 121 



Order HEKODIONES The Herons, Storks, Ibises, etc 122 



Family Plataleida3 The Spoonbills 122 



" Ibididae The Ibises 123 



" Ciconiidac The Storks and Wood Ibises 124 



" Ardeidae The Herons and Bitterns 126 



Order PALTTDICOL^E The Cranes, Rails, etc 134 



Family Gruidse The Cranes 134 



" Aramidse The Courlans 135 



" Rallida? The Rails, Gallinules, Coots, etc 136 



Order LIMICOL^: The Shore Birds 143 



Family Pbalaropodidae The Phalaropes 143 



" Recurvirostridae The Avocets and Stilts 146 



" Scolopacida3 The Snipes, Sandpipers, etc 147 



" Charadriidse The Plovers 172 



" Aphrizidaa The Surf Birds and Turnstones 179 



" Haematopodidas The Oyster-catchers 181 



" Jacanidas The Jacanas 183 



v 



