172 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



hook; throat usually with a more or less distensible pouch of naked 

 skin situated between the branches of the mandible. 



PELECANIDM (PELICANS). 



Bill long, broad at base, compressed, maxillary hook present or more 

 or less distinctly indicated ; face and throat partially feathered ; nostrils 

 very narrow ; wings long, first quill longest; tarsi short and strong. 

 Phalacrocorax carbo (Pelecanus carbo), CORMORANT, IV. 77 

 Sula bassana (Pelecanus bassanus), GANNET, IV. 93 



HERODIONES. 



Tibiae naked below ; legs and neck much lengthened, in a corre- 

 sponding ratio; toes long, slender, never coherent at base where cleft, 

 or with movable basal webbing; hallux lengthened, free, perfectly 

 incumbent, or but little elevated, with a large claw ; wings commonly 

 obtuse, but broad and ample ; tail short. 



ARDEIDM (HERONS). 



Bill perfectly straight, tapering, acute ; lores and orbit naked, occi- 

 put frequently with ornamental plumes ; tarsus scutellate, middle claw 

 pectinated ; hallux lengthened, perfectly incumbent, with large claw. 



Ardea cinerea, HERON, II. 41 



Botaurus stellaris (Ardea stellaris), BITTERN, III. 9 



PLATALEIDM (SPOONBILLS). 



Bill very broad, excessively depressed and greatly expanded termin- 

 ally, much narrowed across the middle portion, extreme tip only much 

 decurved. 



Platalea leucorodia, SPOONBILL, II. 85. 



ANSERES. 



Bill straight, laminated or denticulate, usually terminated by a 

 horny nail; legs short (always shorter than wing), tibiae usually 

 completely feathered, feet palmate, hallux well developed, though 

 usually small, never absent ; wings adapted for flying. 



