14( AVES. 



FAMILY II. 

 PRESSIROSTRES. 



THIF family comprises genera with long legs, without a thumb, or in which 

 the thumb is too short to reach the ground. The bill 

 is moderate, but strong enough to penetrate the earth in 

 search of worms; hence we find those species in which 

 it is weakest frequenting meadows and newly ploughed 

 grounds to obtain that sort of food with more facility. 

 Such as have stronger beaks also feed on herbs, grain, 

 ft* 



OTIS, Linn&us. 



The Bustards, in addition to the massive carriages of the Gallinaceae, have 

 a long neck, long legs, and moderate beak; its superior mandible being slightly 

 arcuated and arched, which, as well as the very small membranes between the 

 base of the toes, again recal the idea of the Gallinaceap. But the nakedness 

 of the lower part of their legs, their whole anatomy, and even the flavour of 

 their flesh, place them among the GraUatorise ; and as they have no thumb, the 

 smaller species approximate closely to the plovers. Their tarsi are reticulated 

 and their wings short ; they fly but seldom, hardly ever using their wings, 

 except to assist themselves in running. They feed indifferently on grain and 

 herbs, worms and insects. 



O. tarda, Lin. (The Great Bustard.) Back of a bright fawn colour, crossed 

 with numerous black streaks, the remainder greyish. This species builds on 

 the ground among the grain. 



CHARADRIUS, Linnceus. 



The Plovers have no thumb ; the beak is moderate, compressed, and en- 

 larged at the point. 



They may be divided into two subgenera ; viz. (Emc- 

 NEMUS, Tern. (The Thick-knee), in which the end of the 

 _ beak is inflated above as well as beneath, and the fosse 



of the nostrils only extend half its length: and CHARADRIUS, Cuv. The 

 beak of the True Plovers is only inflated above, and has two-thirds of its length 

 occupied by the nasal fossa?, which render it weaker. They live in large flocks 

 and frequent low grounds, where they strike the earth with their feet, in order 

 to set in motion the worms on which they feed. One is 



Char, pluviali*, Lin. (The Golden Plover.) Blackish; the edges of its 

 feathers dotted with yellow; white belly. It is the most common of all, and 

 K found throughout the whole globe. 



