FAMILY L ONGIROSTRES. LONG-BEAKED. 



87 



whole plumage pure, unclouded white, except the alar and caudal quills, 

 which are greenish-black or bronze ; legs red. It is found in the marshes 

 and on the river banks in the island of Java. 



PLATALEA Spoonbill. These birds live in flocks among wooded marshes, 

 near the mouths of rivers ; and rarely on the sea-shore, where they feed on 

 very small fish, spawn, and fresh-water shells, as well as small reptiles and 

 water-insects. They build sometimes in lofty trees, and sometimes in 

 bushes or among reeds. 



The Roseate Spoonbill (P. Ajaja) is about two and a half feet in length ; 

 the beak is covered with hard scaly protuberances like the edges of oyster- 

 shells, which are whitish tinged with red, whilst the rest of the bill is black ; 

 top of the head and chin unfeathered, and covered with a greenish skin, 

 and the latter capable of dilatation, as in the Pelicans ; cheeks and occiput 

 covered with bare black skin ; ocular circlets orange ; neck covered with 

 short white feathers, tipped with crimson ; chest white ; from the upper 

 part of the chest springs a long tuft of hair-like feathers of a pale rose- 

 colour ; back white ; shoulders of the wings covered with long, hairy, 

 carmine-coloured feathers, as are also the upper and under tail-coverts ; 

 belly rosy ; tail-quills bright orange with reddish shafts ; naked part of the 

 thighs and legs dark dirty red ; toes very long, especially the hind one. Is 

 very common in South America, but chiefly found on the sea-shore and at 

 the mouths of rivers. 



The White Spoonbill (P. Leucorodia) a native of Europe, common in 

 Holland, and occasionally met with in England; and the Slender-beaked 

 Spoonbill (P. Tenuirostris), native of the Isle de Lugon, are the other species. 



GRUS Cram. The individuals composing this genus were included by 

 Linnaeus among his Ardeoe ; in which, however, the gape is deeply cleft, 

 extending as far as the eyes, the hind toe resting almost entirely on the 

 ground, and the claws strongly hooked ; in all which points the Cranes 

 decidedly differ. The flattened form of the nails of the Cranes also indicates 

 that they are not predaceous, which a knowledge of their habits proves to be 

 the fact, the principal part of their food consisting of vegetable substances, 

 although occasionally they feed on insects, worms, and reptiles. 



Cranes are found in all parts of the world, but are migratory, preferring 

 the southern climates during winter, and the northern whilst the summer 

 lasts. In their progresses, they assemble in large groups ; and, forming 

 themselves into circular, triangular, or wedge-like figures, rise to so great a 

 height in the air as to be hardly visible, but their flight is discovered by the 

 loud noise they make. Cuvier has divided them into two kinds, from the 

 length of the beak: 1. Cranes with the beak longer than the head; and 

 2. Cranes with the beak not longer than the head. There are nine or ten 

 species. 



PSOPHIA Trumpeter. This genus appears, from its terrestial habits and 

 from the shortness and curve of its beak, to be connected with the Galli- 

 naceous order, whilst the length of its legs and the position of its hind toe 

 connect it with the more perfect of the Waders. One of the species, the 

 Gold-breasted Trumpeter (P. Crepitans), a native of South America, is very 

 fond of the society of man, and is among birds what the Dog is among 

 beasts ; it answers to the call of its master, runs along with him, is troubled 

 in missing him, and when it has found him again shows most evident marks 

 of pleasure ; nay, so jealous is it, that when any one approaches too near its 

 owner, it strikes at his legs. It is fond of having its head and neck 

 rubbed, and teases till this is renewed. It is very courageous, attacking 

 animals much larger than itself, and never quits till it puts them to flight. 

 It is also said to be employed in many parts of America in taking care of 

 the poultry-yard, and even in guarding Sheep, which it collects and brings 

 home in the evening. Its common cry resembles the shrill voice of the 

 Turkey ; but besides this it produces internally a peculiar deep and hollow 

 noise, resembling the syllables ton, ton, tou, ton, tou, tou, which is not 

 uttered either from the mouth or vent, although the latter was supposed to 

 be the organ for that purpose, and hence its trivial name Crepitans, or 

 Poule peteuse, as it is called by the French. It is said to resemble in some 

 n s]K>cts ventriloquism, and it seems, as it were, to be conducted externally 

 through the membranes and flesh. 



Family LOXG-BEAKED ; Longirostres. 



The members of this family have a long, slender, and feeble bill, by 

 which they dig or rather bore into the mud for their peculiar food worms 

 and small insects. The distinction between them and the Pressirostrata is 



very slight and vague. 



CHARACTERS OF THE GENERA. 



1. HIMANTOPUS (Gr. Ifnat, a rein, and iroiif, afoot). Beak long, slender, 

 roundish, and pointed, the mandibles grooved from the base to their middle ; 

 nostrils lateral, linear, and placed in the grooves ; legs long and slender ; 

 feet three-toed, the middle connected to the outer toe by a broad, and to 

 the inner by a narrow membrane ; nails short and slightly curved ; the first 

 quill-feather the longest. 



2. IBIS. Beak arched, long, slender, thick at the base, and quadrangular, 

 rounded at the tip, which is obtuse ; nostrils linear, extending from the root 

 to the tip of the beak, and dividing it into three portions, of which the 

 upper is the broadest and flattened ; head and throat bare, the latter and 

 the crop expansile ; legs longish and four-toed, the front webbed at their 

 base as far as the first joint, the hind toe very long, all provided with 

 claws. 



3. LIMOSA (Lat. limits, mud). Beak thrice as long as the head, more or 

 less curved upwards, soft and flexible, depressed, and flattened towards the 

 point, which is obtuse and smooth ; the upper mandible longer than the 

 lower, both grooved throughout their whole length ; nostrils at the root of 

 the beak, linear, and pierced in the grooves from side to side ; legs long 

 and slender, above each knee a naked space ; three toes before and one 

 behind, the middle connected with the outer by membrane as far as the 

 first joint, the hind toe short, its tip just reaching the ground ; wings of 

 moderate length, the first quill-feather the longest. 



4. NUMENIUS. Beak long, slender, arched, and compressed, its tip hard 

 and slightly obtuse ; upper mandible extending beyond the lower, rounded 

 towards the tip, grooved through three-fourths of its length ; nostrils lateral, 

 linear, and situated in the grooves ; space between eye and beak covered 

 with feathers; legs slender, naked above the knee; three toes in front, 

 connected as far as the first joint, one behind articulated on the tarsus, and 

 touching the ground. 



5. PHALAROPUS (Gr. ^aXaplc, a marsh-bird, and wove, a foot). Beak 

 long, straight, slender, depressed at the base ; both mandibles grooved to 

 the point ; the tip of the upper obtuse, and curved upon the lower ; nostrils 

 basal, lateral, oval, prominent, and encircled with membrane ; legs slender, 

 and the tarsi compressed ; toes, three in front connected with membrane to 

 the first joint, the remainder of their edges fringed with scalloped, broad 

 membranes, one behind articulated on the inner side and membraneless. 



6. RECURVIROSTRA (Lat. recurvus, bent back, and rostrum, a beak). 

 Beak very long, slender, weak, depressed throughout its whole length, with 

 its point flexible and curving upwards ; upper mandible grooved on its 

 upper, and the lower on its lateral surface ; nostrils long and linear ; wings 

 pointed ; legs long and slender, having three toes in front and a very short 

 one behind (connected as far as the second joint with a scalloped mem- 

 brane), attached high up on the tarsus. 



7. RHYXCH^EA (Gr. pYyxoo, a beak). Beak compressed, longer than the 

 head, expanded and bent towards the tip ; mandibles of equal length and 

 slightly curved, the upper grooved throughout its whole length, the lowrr 

 only at its point ; nostrils lateral, linear, and pierced completely through ; 

 tarsus longer than the middle toe, naked and reticulated ; front toes uncon- 

 nected ; hind toe articulated on the tarsus above the others. 



8. SCOLOPAX (Gr. <rireiAo7ra, a bird which never sits on a tree). Beak 

 with its ridge elevated at the base, compressed, slender, long, straight, blunt, 

 and its tip swelling ; both mandibles grooved for half their length, and the 

 point of the upper longer than the lower, and its swelling part forming a 

 kind of hook ; head compressed ; eyes large and set far back ; nostrils 

 pierced longitudinally near the edge of the mandible, lateral, basal, and 

 covered with membrane ; legs slender and feathered to the knee ; three 

 toes in front, generally distinct. 



