342 BIRDS. 



land was shot near the Lizard, in Cornwall, in February, 1843. The male 

 bustard stands nearly four feet high. 



The Apteryxes. The second division of Cursorial Birds form the family 

 of Apteryx (Apterygidce), so called because they have the appearance of being 

 entirely wingless. They resemble the emeu in the general form of their body 

 and in the nature of their plumage, but are at once distinguished from those 

 ostrich-like birds by the shortness of their legs, and the presence of a hind 

 toe, armed with a strong claw on each foot. A further distinction is afforded 

 by the form of the bill, which is elongated, nearly cylindrical, and slightly 

 curved ; the nostrils are situated quite at the tip of the upper mandible, and 

 the wings are so rudimentary as to be completely concealed beneath the fea- 

 thers of the body. 



Shaw's Apteryx (Aptery.r Australis] is an inhabitant of New Zealand. 

 It stands about two feet high, and its plumage is of a dark brown colour. It 

 runs with great rapidity, and when pursued takes refuge in the holes of rocks 

 or amongst the roots of trees. When seized it defends itself vigorously with 

 its powerful feet. It is active during the night, and feeds principally upon 

 earthworms, which it captures by driving its long bill into the soil. These 

 birds live in pairs, and construct a rough nest in the retreat which they gene- 

 rally frequent. In this nest the female lays a single egg, about the size of 

 that of a goose. Their flesh is much esteemed by the New Zealanders, who 

 make cloaks of their skins and feathers. 



ORDER GRALLATORES.* 



These birds derive their name from their habits and from the 

 peculiarities of their structure. They are characterized by the 

 height of their legs, which are naked, and thus adapted for wading 

 to a certain depth into the water, where many species catch their 

 prey. Those genera that are possessed of a strong beak live upon 

 fishes and reptiles ; those in which the bill is long and feeble, upon 

 worms and insects ; a very small number satisfy their appetite by 

 devouring grain or herbs, and these only such as live at a distance 

 from water. In a few instances the toes are partially webbed, 

 and in some the hinder toe is entirely wanting circumstances 

 which have considerable influence in causing their habits to be 

 more or less aquatic. Their wings are long, and they generally 

 fly well. During flight their legs are stretched out behind, while 

 in other birds they are generally folded beneath the body. They 

 are separable into four tribes, namely, the Pressirostres, the 

 Cultrirostres, the Longirostres, and the Macrodactyles. 



TRIBE I. PRESSIROSTRES. 



The tribe Pressirostres f comprehends such genera as have 

 their legs long and their hind toe too short to touch the ground. 



* Grallae, stilts: from their stilt-like legs, f Pressus, compressed; rostrum, the beak. 



