ORNITHOLOGY. 



617 



Gralla- 

 tores. 



species often frequenting moist meadows and tilled ground 

 in search of food. The stronger billed kinds feed also on 

 • grain, &c. 



The genus Otis, Linn., possesses the bulky massive 

 form of the gallinaceous order, and the upper mandible is 

 somewhat arched ; but the bare space above the tarsus, 

 the want of the hind toe, and the general structure both 

 outward and internal, connect them more closely with the 

 Grallatores. The great bustard ( Otis tarda) is the largest 

 of the European birds, and one of the rarest of our Bri- 

 tish species. It sometimes weighs nearly thirty pounds, 

 and is now believed to be confined exclusively to Nor- 

 folk. We have another species called the little bustard 

 ( O. tetrax), also very rare. Many fine species occur in 

 Africa and the East. (See Plate CCCXCIX. fig. 4.) 



The genus Charadrius, Linn., likewise wants the hind 

 toe. The bill is compressed, and somewhat enlarged to- 

 wards the tip. It contains the various species commonly 

 called plovers, and may be divided into two. 1st, GEdic- 

 nemus, Temm., in which there is an inflation towards the 

 terminal portion of the bill in both mandibles, and the 

 nasal fossa? are less prolonged. These are the larger spe- 

 cies, of which the great plover (CEdic. crepitans), or thick- 

 knee'd bustard of our English writers, affords a good ex- 

 ample. It is a migratory bird, of rare occurrence, confin- 

 ed chiefly to our southern and eastern counties, which it 

 visits about the end of April. It is as yet unknown in 

 Scotland. This bird is a nocturnal feeder, and preys 

 principally upon insects. 2d, Charadrius, in which the 

 bill is inflated only above, and two thirds of its length on 

 each side are occupied by the nasal fossae, which renders 

 the organ comparatively feeble. The species are grega- 

 rious, and, like the gulls, beat the moist soil with their pat- 

 tering feet, to terrify the incumbent worms. " The mem- 

 bers of this genus," says Mr Selby, " are numerous, and 

 possess a very wide geographical distribution, species be- 

 ing found in every quarter of the globe. Some of them, 

 during the greater part of the year, are the inhabitants 

 of open districts and of wild wastes, frequenting both dry 

 and moist situations, and only retire towards the coast 

 during the severity of winter. Others are constantly re- 

 sident upon the banks or about the mouths of rivers, 

 particularly where the shore consists of small gravel or 

 shingle ; such are most of the smaller species. Except 

 during the season of reproduction, most of them live in 

 societies, larger or of less amount, according to the spe- 

 cies. Their migrations are also performed in numerous 

 bodies, the old birds usually congregating by themselves, 

 and preceding the young in their periodical flights. They 

 run with much swiftness, as might be expected from the 

 simple structure of their feet ; and from the shape and 

 dimensions of their wings, they fly with strength and ra- 

 pidity. They live on worms, insects, and their larvae, 

 &c. and most of them are nocturnal feeders, as indicated 

 by their large and prominent eyes. They are subject to 

 the double moult, and the change at the different seasons 

 is in many species very marked. Their nest is on the 

 ground, and their eggs are always four in number. The 

 flesh of the larger species, and such as inhabit the plains 

 of the interior, is delicate and high flavoured ; but in 

 many of the smaller kinds, that live on the coast, or on the 

 banks of rivers, it is not so palatable." 1 The beautiful gold- 

 en plover (Char, pluvialis) is the best-known example to 

 which we need refer. The prevailing plumage of the up- 

 per parts is brownish, or very deep hair-brown, each fea- 

 ther being tipped and otherwise spotted with yellow. The 

 chin and throat are white, the fore part of the neck, breast, 

 &c. ash-gray, streaked with darker gray, and tinged with 



yellow. During the breeding season, the cheeks, chin, 

 throat, fore part of the neck, centre of the breast, and ab- 

 domen, are of an intense black, and in this state it has been ' 

 erroneously regarded as a distinct species. To the same 

 group belong the dotterel (Char, morinellus), the ring- 

 plover (Char, hiaticula), and many other kinds, exotic and 

 indigenous. Several of the foreign plovers have sharp spurs 

 upon the anterior margin of the wing, as well as fleshy flat- 

 tened lobes upon the head. 



The genus Vanellus of Bechstein differs but little 

 from the plovers, except in the possession of a small hind 

 toe. We here place our elegant crested lapwing, or green 

 plover ( V. cristatus), commonly called in Scotland the 

 pees-weep. The gray plover (C. squatarola, Linn.) forms 

 the genus Squatarola of Cuvier, distinguished, like the 

 preceding, by a very small hind toe ; but the bill is more 

 bulged beneath towards the extremity, and the nasal fossa; 

 are short. 



The genus HjEMATOpus, Linn., commonly known by 

 the name of oyster-catcher, has the bill rather long, 

 straight, pointed, compressed. The hind toe is wanting. 

 Our British species (H. ostralegus), breeds along the 

 rocky ledges of friths and bays, and is said to open oyster 

 and other shells by means of its bill. We could never 

 detect it in the performance of this feat, and we rather 

 doubt the fact, till assured of it by a credible eye-witness. 

 Oysters are by no means easily opened, even with a knife. 

 Several nearly allied species have been discovered of late 

 years in Asia, Africa, and America. One is found in New 

 Holland. 



In the genus Cursorius the bill is slender, rounded, 

 somewhat arched, without furrow. The legs are long, 

 the hind toe wanting. Five or six species occur in Afri- 

 ca and Asia, and of these, C. Isabellinus, Meyer, some- 

 times accidentally appears in the south of Europe. A few 

 specimens have been even seen in Britain. 



The genus Microdactylus, Geoffroy (Dicholophus, 

 Illiger), has the bill stronger and more curved, with a 

 wider gape. The legs are of great length, the toes slight- 

 ly palmated at the base, the hinder one very small, and 

 not reaching to the ground. The only known species is 

 a singular South American bird called the cariama or 

 crested screamer (M. cristatus, Geoff., — Palamedea cristata, 

 Gm.). It is larger than a heron, the plumage reddish 

 gray waved with brown, the forehead ornamented by a 

 crest of recurved slender feathers (see Plate CCCXCIX. 

 fig. 8). The plumes of the head and neck are also de- 

 composed. The cariama inhabits elevated plains in Brazil 

 and Paraguay, where it feeds on serpents and other rep- 

 tiles, as well as on insects and their larvae. It flies feebly, 

 owing to the shortness of its wings, but runs with consi- 

 derable swiftness. When pursued, it is apt to conceal it- 

 self by squatting in some cunning corner. Its flesh af- 

 fords excellent food, and it is sometimes reared by the 

 Spaniards in a domestic state. The female lays only two 



Gralla- 

 tores. 



Tribe 3d. — Cultrirostres. 



In this tribe the bill is usually strong, of considerable 

 length, straight, cutting, sharp-pointed. In many spe- 

 cies the trachea undergoes a peculiar duplication in the 

 male sex. The caeca are short. Cuvier divides the tribe 

 into three lesser groups, — the cranes, the herons, and the 

 storks. 



The cranes properly so called (genus Grus) have the 

 bill longer than the head. The most noted species is the 

 common crane of Europe ( G. cinerea), a migratory bird, 



VOL XVI. 



' British Ornithology, vol ii. p. 230. 



4i 



