Order 8TEG AN OPOBES. 



THE TOTI PALLIATE SWOIMERS. 



wifi 



CllAU. Hnllux unitod by a wob with tho inner toe; bill loiij^or than the head, 

 with sharp cntting edges, and nsually with a enrved maxillary nnguis or terminal 

 hook (wanting in Plotida- and l^haelhontida). Throat '.i.sually with a more or less 

 distensible ponch of naked skin, situated between the manilibular rami (wanting 

 in r'iiu'thonti(Uv). 



Leaving out the genus P/ud'thoii, which, if tiiily belonging to this Order, is at least 

 an aberrant roriu, the Steganopodcs constitute a very natural group of birds, the 

 main characters of wliicli are as given above. So far as its exttu-ual iippcaraiuie goes, 

 I'hai'thon is very similar to the larger Terns, the most obvious dilferencc being in the 

 character of the feet. 



Synopsis of the American Fa;^ilies of Steganopodes. 



A. Hill toruiinatt'd ))y iv coiispicuoiis, strmi^ly curved Imok. 



((. Tiirsus excessively short, sciircely ecjUiil to tlie liiillux, iiicbuliu^,' its claw. 



1. Fregatidae. \Viiij,'s ami tail excessively eloiij,'ate(l, the latter deeply forked ; middle toe 



iiuich loiif^er than the outer, its claw llalteiied and jiei'tinated on the inner eilge ; wehs 

 verv small, occnpyini,' less than half the sjiace lietween the toes, 

 /). Tarsus moderately len^'theiied, mucli hmj^'ei' than the hallux, inclmling its claw (nearly, 

 sometimes more than, twice us louj;). 



2. PolecanidEB. liill excessively elonj,'ated (much lou<,'er than the tarsus and middli; toe), 



threat ly depressed, tlie j;uhir pouch very lar^'c, and j,'reatly distensilile. Aliddle toe loiif^'er 

 tliau tlie outer. 

 U. PhalacroooraoideB. liill moderately elont^ated, or rather short (slu)rter than tlK^niddle 

 toe), compressed ; ^\\\xw pouch small, scarcely distensiide. Outer toe nuicli lont,'cr than 

 tlie middle. 

 U. Hill taperin;^ to the ]ii)inl, which is withoiU a lerudiial hook or uuf,'uis (very faiiUly indicale<l 

 in Siilldn-). 



a. !. "strils oliliterated ; outi'r and udddle toes neaily eipial in Ien<{th, and much lonj,'er than 



the inner ; lores, orliital re^don, lower jaw, chin, and throat, naked. 



4. Plotidee. 15111 slcmler, heron-like, the outlines nearly straif^dil (the culmeii perfectly so) ; 



head very small, neck extremely louj; and sh'nder. Tail lou^ and fan-shaped (nearly as 

 lonj; as till! wiiif,'), rounded, the feathers very hroad, the middle rectrices tnuLsversely 

 corruj^'ated in the adult. 



5. Sulidee. Hill very thick throii^di the hase, hut tapering rapidly to the tip, which is very 



sli;,ditly curved, with the maxillary uu^^uis faintly indicated. Tail slioi't (uhont half the 

 wing), cmieate, the feathers narrowed toward the end. 



b. Nostrils distinct, (as in the Ltiridiv) ; lateral toes nearly equal, and nearly iis long as the 



middle ; whole head normally feathered. 



6. PhaethontideB. Mill conical, much compressed, the culiiien curved ; maxillary toniiiun 



very concave. Tail short, graduated, the central jmir of reclrioes linear and excessively 

 elongated. 



