153 GRALLATORES : WADERS OR STILTED BIROS. 



and subfamilies of Grallatorial or Wading birds, in reference to their 

 mutual relations and natural series. According to the theory of 

 classification which I have on several occasions endeavoured to estab- 

 lish by various evidence, we expect to find first a family exhibiting 

 the greatest power and the higbest general development consistent 

 with the Grallatorial type ; secondly, one specially marked by active 

 power, or, which in this case is the same thing, approaching most 

 nearly the form and characters of Insessorial birds ; thirdly, one 

 imitating in its habits the Rasorial birds ; fourthly, one preeminently 

 Grallatorial, showing in its figure and mode of taking food a special 

 tendency to the character of this order ; and last, one making an 

 approach to the Natatorial mode of life, and having relations of 

 structure and habits with the last division of birds whose life is pro- 

 perly aquatic. "Where the families admit of subdivision we expect 

 also that the subfamilies shall conform to the same general law, but 

 where any family or subfamily represents a structural tendency strik- 

 ingly at variance with the common type, we usually observe it to be 

 very limited in extent, often confined to a single genus or even tb one 

 or two species. Of this latter principle there is a good illustration in 

 one of the families of the order now under our consideration, if, at 

 least, I am right in a view which finds much favour with me though 

 I am not supported in it by authority. Dr. G. Gray makes the 

 Phaleropes a subfamily of the Scolopacidae (Snipe family), placing it 

 last among his six subfamilies, under the name Phaleropodinae, 

 Considering the adaptation of these creatures for swimming and their 

 seeming to snatch at their food whilst moving in the water, so as to 

 have eminently aquatic habits though manifestly within the Gralla- 

 torial order, I am disposed without at all changing their position 

 immediately following Scolopacidae to elevate them to the rank of a 

 family and regard them as the Natatorial representative in the order, 

 a change which is indicated by calling them Phaleropidae. It is true 

 that there are but three species in Gray's work, and they must be 

 altogether very few, but this might serve as an objection to their 

 being accounted a subfamily as much as a family. The number of 

 forms found in a genus, subfamily, family, order or class is widely 

 variable. We use those names to express our idea of the comparative 

 importance of the characters or our perception of the relation of the 

 particular form to others. 



There will scarcely be a doubt that Ardeidae (Cranes, Herons, &c.) 



