646 



COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Sub-family. (Edicneminae.— Bill long as bead, keel of lower 

 mandible angulated. Three tues iu front. 



Qenus. CEdicxemus.— Bill, nasal groove nearly triangular. 

 Wings, second quill longest. Tail wedge-shaped. Tarsi with 

 hexagonal scales. Toes united at base. Habitat— Most parts 

 of world. 



Sub-family. Glareolina?.— Bill short, broad at base, compressed 

 to tip. Wings very long, first quill longest, three toes in trout, 

 one behind. 



Genus. GlareOLa.— Bill flattened at base, arched to tip. 

 Winn's, first quill longest. Tail forked. Legs moderate, hind 

 toe very short, claws of middle toe slightly toothed on one side. 

 Habitat -Old World. 



Sub-family. Cursorinae. — Bill moderate, arched beyond nos- 

 trils, which are in short triangular groove. Wings long and 

 pointed. Three slender toes in front. 



Genus. CuRSORlus. — Bill broad at base, compressed to tip, 

 straight above, and then arched; nostrils narrow. Wings, first 

 and second quills longest. Tail short and even. Habitat — 

 Asia, Africa and Europe. 



Sub-family. Charadrinae. — Bill slender, flattened at base, 

 vaulted at tip, sides compressed and grooved; nostrils in groove. 

 Wings long and pointed. Tail broad. Tarsi long and slender. 

 Outer toe longer than inner. 



Genus. VaNellus.— Bill straight, sides grooved two-thirds of 

 length. Wings, second and third quills longest. Thigh some- 

 times feathered to knee. Four toes, hind toe short. Habitat — 

 Europe, Asia, and America. 



Genus. Charadrius.— Bill short, strong; groove of upper 

 mandible for two-thirds of length. Wings, first quill longest. 

 Hind toe wanting. Habitat— Most parts of world. 



Sub-family. Haematopodinae.— Bill long, strong, front half 

 very much compressed, tip blunt; nostrils in membranous 

 groove. Wings long and pointed. Toes three, united at base. 



Genus. H.ematopus. — Bill, groove reaching nearly to mid- 

 dle. Wings, first quill longest. Habitat — Old and New 

 World. 



Sub-family. Cinclinae.— Bill short, straight, compressed to tip; 

 nostrils in membranous groove. Wings long, first quill longest. 

 Tarsi short, with small scales. Toes long and free, hind toe 

 slender. 



Genus. ClNCLUfi. — Bill flattened at base, straight above, 

 edges curved upwards to tip; groove extends half length to up- 

 per mandible. Tarsi with broad scales. Hind toe elevated, tip 

 touching ground. Habitat— Most parts of world. 



Family. ARDEIDJE.— Bill long, sharp, compressed. Tail 

 rounded. Tarsi long and slender. Outer toe longer than in 

 ner, united at base. 



Sub-family. Psophinae. — Bill vaulted towards tip, which over- 

 hangs lower mandible; nostrils in membranous groove reached 

 by plumes. Hind toe short. 



Genus. Psophia. — Bill short, curved. Wings, fourth tosixth 

 quills longest. Tail very short. Tarsi with transverse scales. 

 Outer toe longer than inner; elaws long, compressed, sharp. 

 Habitat— South America. 



Genus. Cariama. — Bill strong, curved; nostrils in front of 

 plumed groove. Wings, fifth to seventh quills longest, tirst 

 very short. Tail long. Tarsi very long. Habitat— South 

 America. 



Sub-family. Gruinae.— Bill long, mandibles equal; nostrils in 

 deep groove. Wings and tertials long. Tail short and even. 

 Tarsi very long, toes short. 



Genus. Oris. — Bill slightly flattened at base, and curved to 

 tip; nostrils large and partly hidden by membrane. Wings, 

 third and fourth quills longest. Tarsi with transverse scales. 

 Outer toe united at base, hind toe very short. Habitat — Many 

 parts of World. 



Genus. Scops.— Bill, nostrils very narrow. Wings, third and 

 fourth quills longest. Habitat — Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



Giims. Balearioa. — Bill rather short and thick. Wings, 

 third quill longest. Cheeks naked, wattles on base of bill and 

 throat. Habitat — Africa and Islands of Mediterranean. 



Sub-family. Ardeinae. — Bill long, sharp, gape extending be- 

 neath the eyes; nostrils iu lateral groove. Wings long. Tail 

 short and even. Tarsi and toes long and slender. 



Genus. Arpea. — Bill slender, tip scooped, edges sometimes 

 notched, nostrils guarded by membranous scab'. Wings, sec- 

 ond and third quills longest. Tarsi with transverse scales. Outer 

 toe longer than inner. Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Genus. BoTADRUS. — Bill rounded, tip deeply scooped, nos-F, 

 trils narrow, near base. Wings, first to third quills longest. 

 Habitat— Many parts of world. 



Genu*. Nycticorax. — Bill, nostrils closed by membranous 

 scale. Wings, second and third quills longest. Tarsi irregu- 

 larly sealed. Habitat — Many parts of world. 



Genus. CaNCROMA. — Bill long, very broad towards middle, 

 sides compressed to tip. Keel very large and grooved to tip, 

 which is hooked; nostrils partly closed by membrane. Wings, 

 third and fourth quills longest. Tarsi irregularly sealed; hind 

 toe long. Habitat — South America. 



Genus. Platalea. — Bill straight, flattened and widened at 

 tip, upper mandible overhanging lower, groove commencing on 

 forehead, Wings, second quill longest, Tarsi with netted 

 scales. Habitat — Many parts of world. 



Sub-family. Ciconinae. — Bill long, compressed to tip; nostrils 

 narrow, pierced through beak. Wings large. Tail moderate. 

 Tarsi long; front toes united at base. 



Genus. Cicoxia. — Bill, keel bold and straight. Wings, 

 third and fourth quills longest. Tarsi with netted scales, hind 

 tm elevated, touching ground. Habitat — Europe, Asia, and 

 Africa. 



Genus. Leptoptilus. — Bill very large, high at base, keel 

 straight, nostrils small. Head and neck naked. Habitat — 

 India and Africa. 



Genus. Mtcteria. — Bill very large, tip turned up. Wings. 

 second and third quills lougest. Habitat — South America, 

 Africa, and Australia. 



Genus. BaL/ENICeps. — Bill, sides enormously expanded, keel 

 widened and flattened, with two grooves, edges overhanging 

 lower mandible, tip deeply scooped and hooked, nostrils at base 

 in groove and oblique, gape beyond eyes. Wings long. Toes 

 very long and straight. 



Sub-family. Tantalinae.— Bill long, slender, anil curved, sides 

 gradually compressed to tip. Wings long. Tail even. Inner 

 toe shorter than outer, hind toe long. 



Genus. Ibis. — Sill, nostrils narrow, in narrow groove extend- 

 ing throughout the bill. Wings, first and second quills longest. 

 Head partly bare. Habitat — Europe, Asia, and America. 



'onus. Geronticus. — Wings, third and fourth quills longest. 

 Head and neck rather bare. Tarsi wiih hexagonal scales. 

 Habitat — Asia, Africa, America, and Australia. 



Family. SCOLOPACID^.— Bill long, slender, compressed and 

 grooved to tip; nostrils in groove at base, closed by membrane. 

 Wings long and pointed. Tarsi long and slender, hind toe 

 short or absent. 



Sub-family. Limosinae. — Bill curved or straight from base. 

 Tail mostly short and even. Toes long, united at base. 



Genus. Numenius. — Bill curved from base, upper mandible 

 projecting. Wings, first quill longest. Tail short and even. 

 Tarsi with narrow transverse scales in front. Hind toe slender, 

 partly resting on ground. Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Genus. Limosa. — Bill inclined upwards to tip. Wings, first 

 quill longest. Outer toe united to middle as far as first joint. 

 Habitat— Most parts of world. 



Sub-family. Totaninae. — Bill, groove as far as or beyond middle 

 of bill, nostrils very narrow. Hind toe rather long and slender, 

 barely reaching the ground. 



