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Order ALECTORIDES. 



CRANES, KAILS, ETC. 





TllK Alfdoruhs are a tdleranly well-defined fTroup of limls, related somcwliai 

 closely to the Limivolo, l»ut very diHtiiiet from the Iftroilium's, to wliidi soiiir 

 of tho forms (more esjtecially the Criiida) bear a teleological resemlilaiiee. Tyjiiiid 

 Families of this Order are the (ri-nida' (Cranes), Annnifkc (Conrlans), and Jitillliln 

 (Kails), all represented in North An.eriea. In addition to these Families, Smith 

 America possesses several others v'lich have been placed here, l)ut wliethi r 

 ri^'Iitly or not, we cannot say. These extralimital families are the £iiri/pi/yi<lo (Sim 

 Hitterns), Ilrliornif/iidir, Cdriauiiihr (Cariamas), and IWtphiidcv (Trumpeters). 



Tlie typical mcndters of the ;,'r(iup are pra'cocial and i)tilopa'dic. 



The i'amilies of this Order which come within the .scope of the present Wdik 

 are the followiii'' : — 



A» Si/c small or incdiiiin ; liciiil ixunmlly IV-atlicrcd or with a frontal sliicld ; iiiiilcllo toe ikmiIv 

 as Imi^' us ilic tarsus; hallux wull ilcvfjopccl (nearly a.s loii^' as thu lirst juinl of ilu' 

 nii'ldlc tof), ni-arly incuniliont. (Itnlli.) 



Rallidse. Si/.r niotlinni to very small ; outer primary lon^or than tho si.\th, very liroaii ; 

 sen Hill nearly or ((uili! ei|ual to the lon^'est. Ikeetrices almost ruilimuntarv, soft, neai iv 

 hiililen by the coverts. IJili not curved to one side at ti|) (usually shorter tlian ilie 

 tarsus). 



Aramidae. Si/e medium or rather larj,'e ; outer ]irimiiry shorter tlmii seventh, the iiiii' !■ 

 wid) very narrow, exeejit at end ; second ((uill much shorter than the li)nj,'est (lillli) 

 Rectrices wtdl ilevidoiied, firm, twelve ill nuniher. Hill curved to one sicU' at tip, eipi il 

 to or loiif^er than the tarsus ; inner secondaries broad, renchin.i,' to end of primaries, tluii 

 webs ])aitially ilecomi)osed. 

 B. Si/e laip' ; head partly naked (exc'i • yoiinj;), or with ornamental plumes ; middle toe 

 less than half the tarsus ; hallux si....,i, much elevated. {Units.) 



Qruidae. [< "haractera a.s nbove.] 



Fam'lv RALLTD^E. — TiiK Il.viL.s, Gallixclks, and Coot.s. 



Chau. Small or medium sized wadinfj or swimmiiif; birds, with coiniircsstd 

 body, very jono toes, whirl, are sometimes (in the Coots) lobed alony the edyes, 

 short, rounded, concave wings, and very muscular thighs. 



Tlie brief diagnosis given above is sufHcieiit to distingui.sli the itails, of wliatcvi r 

 sul»-fiiiuily. from the C(uiilai',s and Cranes, tludr (mly near allies. The typical Hails 

 (liiiUiiKv) are of very small to medium size, tho typical genus, Tinthis. being cliar- 

 actf Ized particularly by a lengthened slender bill, while other genera, as I'onann 



