48 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



VI. ORDER. RUNNING-BIRDS (Struthiones). 

 Legs long, fitted for running; wings generally ru- 

 dimentary ; clothed with feathers of a peculiar 

 character. 



1. FAMILY. Ostriches (Struthionidae). Stature 



large; bill broad, depressed; nostrils placed 

 in a large membranous groove; head and 

 neck sometimes destitute of feathers, the for- 

 mer surmounted by a crest, the latter wat- 

 tled; wings rudimentary; tarsi long and 

 very strong, covered with broad scales, two 

 or three in number; claws blunt. 



2. FAMILY. Ki-wis (Apterygidse). Bill long, slen- 



der, curved and grooved, very hard; nostrils 

 small and placed at tip; tarsi rather short, 

 strong; hind toe small and armed with a 

 long acute claw; wings rudimentary, con- 

 cealed by the feathers ; tail none. 



3. FAMILY. Bustards (Otididse). Bill rather length- 



ened, broad at base, compressed towards tip, 

 culmen straight for a portion of its length, 

 then curved to tip, lateral margin of upper 

 mandible undulating ; emarginate at tip ; 

 nostrils large, placed in a membranous groove ; 

 tarsi long, covered with small scales; toes 

 short, three in number; wings long and 

 pointed ; tail broad and rounded. 



VII. ORDER. WADING-BIRDS (Grallse). 

 Legs long and slender, with lower part of tibias 

 naked ; bill often long and more or less slender. 



