6o8 



MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



lagoons, and shallow pools, though some of them keep almost 

 exclusively to dry land, preferring, however, moist and damp 

 situations. In accordance with their semi-aquatic amphibious 

 habits, the Waders are distinguished by the great length of their 

 legs ; the increase in length being mainly due to the great elon- 

 gation of the tarso-metatarsus. The legs are also unfeathered 

 from the lower end of the tibia downwards. The toes are elon- 

 gated and straight (fig. 336, A), and are never completely palmate, 

 though sometimes semi-palmate. There are three anterior toes, 

 and usually a short hallux, but the latter may be wanting. The 

 wings are long, and the power of flight usually considerable ; 

 but the tail is short, and the long legs are stretched out behind 

 in flight to compensate for the brevity of the tail. The body 

 is generally slender, and the neck and beak usually of con- 

 siderable length (fig. 336, B). They are sometimes polygam- 



Fig. 336. Grallatores. A, Leg and foot of the Curlew ; B, Head of Snipe ; 

 C, Beak of the Avocet. 



ous, sometimes monogamous, and the young of the former 

 are able to run about as soon as they are hatched. 



The most typical Waders those, namely, which are semi- 

 aquatic in their habits spend most of their time wading about 

 in shallow waters or marshes, feeding upon small fishes, worms, 

 shell-fish, or insects. Others, such as the Storks, live mostly 

 upon the land, and are more or less exclusively vegetable- 

 feeders. 



The Grallatores are divided into the four families of the 

 Macrodactyli, the Cultirostres, the Longirostres, and the Pressi- 

 rostres. 



Fam. i. Macrodactyli. In this family the feet are furnished 



