GRALLATORI^E. 157 



ARDEA, Cuv. 



Or the Herons, the cleft of whose beak extends to beneath the eyes, a small 

 nasal fossa continuing on in a groove close to its point. They are also dis- 

 tinguished by the internal edge of the nail of the middle toe, which is 

 trenchant and denticulated. Their legs are scutellated; the thumb and toes 

 tolerably long, the external web considerable, and the eyes placed in a naked 

 skin which extends to the beak. They are melancholy birds, which build 

 and perch on the banks of rivers, where they destroy great numbers offish. 



The true Herons have a very slender neck, ornamented below with long 

 pendent feathers. 



The name of CRABEATERS (Crabiers) has been applied to the smallest 

 Herons, with shorter feet. 



The feathers on the neck of the BITTERNS are loose and separated, which 

 increases its apparent size. They are usually spotted or striped. 



The adult NIGHT-HERON, with the port of the Bitterns, and a beak pro- 

 portionally thicker, has a few slender feathers on the occiput. 



The third tribe, besides having a thicker and smoother beak than 

 is found in the second, has tolerably strong and almost equal mem- 

 branes between the base of the toes. 



CICONIA, Cuv. 



The Storks have a thick beak, moderately cleft; no fossae or grooves; the 

 nostrils pierced towards the back aifd near the base; an extremely short 

 tongue. Their legs are reticulated, and the anterior toes strongly palma- 

 ted at base, particularly the external ones. The light and broad mandibles 

 of their beak, by striking against each other, produce a clash which is al- 

 most the only sound that proceeds from these birds. 



To this genus belongs the celebrated White Stork, and the Black Stork. 



We next distinguish the Bare Necked Storks, and then the Pouched Storks 

 so called from an appendage under the throat resembling a sausage. There 

 are two species one from Senegal, the other from India. 



MYCTERIA, Lin. 



The Jabirus, separated from Ardea by Linnseus, are closely allied to the 

 Storks, and much more so than the latter are to the true Herons. Their 

 peculiar character consists in a beak slightly curved upwards near the ex- 

 tremity. 



SCOPUS, Briss.(l) 

 The Umbres are only distinguished from the Storks by a compressed beak, 



(1) Scopus, from SKOTTCJ, sentinel. 



