VERTEBRATA 



169 



short web, and terminating in blunt claws. The legs 



are usually feathered to the heel, sometimes (as in 



grouse) to the toes. 



The feathers of the 



body are large and 



coarse. The males 



generally have gay 



plumage, and some 



appendage to the 



head. The nostrils 



are covered by a scale 



or valve. Their main 



food is grain. Such 



are the partridges, 



turkeys, pheasants, 



and poultry. 



9. Gralla. The rails 



and cranes are long- 

 legged, marsh birds 



with four toes, of which the hinder one is usually small 



and higher up than 

 the front ones. The 

 feet are adapted for 

 wading, for standing 

 upon floating vegeta- 

 tion, or walking over 

 soft mud, having long 

 spreading toes which 

 aid in distributing 

 the weight of the 

 body over much sur- 

 face. Cranes eat 



FIG. 149. Prairie chicken (Cupidonia cupido), 

 Western prairies. 



snakes as well as veg- 

 etable food, while rails are fond of mollusks and worms. 



