COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



64? 



Genus. Totantjs.— Bill slightly curved at tip; groove half 

 length of bill. Wings, first quill longest. Tarsi with very nar- 

 row scales in front. Habitat — Both hemispheres. 



Genus. Trixuoides. — Bill rather straight above, curved at 

 tip; groove extendiug nearly whole length of bill. Tail rounded, 

 broad. Habitat— Old and New Worlds. 



Sub-family. Recurvirostrins. — Nostrils very narrow, mem- 

 branous. Tail short and rounded. Tarsi with netted scales in 

 front. Thigh naked above knee. 



Genus. Recurvirostra. — Bill, keel flattened at base. Tarsi 

 rather compressed; toes united by indented web; hind toe very 

 short. Habitat— Most parts of world. 



Genus. Himaxtopus. — Bill long and straight, opening of nos- 

 trils long and narrow. Wings, first quill longest. Toes united 

 at base, hind toe wanting. Habitat — Many parts of the world. 

 Sub-family. Tringinae. — Bill rather long, keel near tip, rather 

 flat and wide; nostrils in groove, extending two-thirds of bill. 

 Toes united at base. 



Genus. PhilomaChos. — Bill straight. Wings, first and second 



quills longest. Outer toe united as far as first joint, inner free; 



hind toe short and elevated. Habitat — Europe and part of Asia. 



Germs. Trixga. — Wings, first quill longest. Toes edged by 



membrane. Habitat— Many parts of world. 



Sub-family. Scolopacinse. — Bill straight, rather flattened and 

 bent downward at tip, which projects over lower mandible. 

 Hind toe short, elevated, reaching ground. 



Genus. Gallinaoo. — Nostrils oval. Wings, first and second 

 quills longest. Thigh bare a little above knee. Claw of hind 

 toe long and curved. Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Genus. Scolopax. — Nostrils narrow. Wings, first quill long- 

 est. Tarsi feathered below knee. Hind toe rather long and 

 elevated. Habitat— Old World. 



Sub-family. Phalaropodinae. — Bill straight, but curved at tip. 

 Tarsi short. Toes united at base and lobed on sides. Hind toe 

 elevated, edged with narrow membrane. 



Genus. Phalaropls. — Bill long. Wings, first and second 

 quills longest. Toes united by membrane edging each toe. 

 Habitat — Northern and temperate regions. 



Family. PALAMEDEIDJE.— Bill long and slender, keel rather 

 flat, vaulted at tip, which overhangs lower mandible. Nostrils 

 at sides of bill and longitudinal. Wings long, mostly spurred 

 at shoulder. Tail short and round. Tarsi long and slender. 

 Toes very long. 



Sub-family. Parrinae. — Bill, tip not scooped; groove long and 

 narrow, containing nostrils in middle. Toes with long slender 

 claws. 



Genus. Parra. — Bill, sides compressed, nostrils small and 

 oval. Wings, 'third quill longest. Tail partly hidden by 

 coverts. Claws long, hind toe and claw very long. Base of 

 bill and part of head naked and wattled. Habitat — Asia, Africa, 

 and America. 



Genus. Hydrophasianus. — Wings very long, second quill 

 longest; shaft of first three long, fourth to seventh narrow' and 

 scooped. Tail narrow, four central feathers very long, rest 

 short and graduated. Base of bill and head fully feathered. 

 Habitat — India. 



Sub-family. Palamedeinas. — Bill short, compressed, keel 

 curved to tip; nostrils large, in membranous groove. Wings 

 with two spurs on shoulder. Tail moderate. Tarsi long, strong, 

 small scaled. Front toes united at base, claws long and curved. 

 Genus. Palamedea. — Nostrils oval. Head with cylindrical 

 horn. Wings, third and fourth quills longest. Toes with 

 squared scales above. Habitat — South America. 



Genus. Chauxa. — Bill, tip vaulted and hooked. Wings, 

 third and fourth quills longest. Habitat — Southern and Cen- 

 tral America. 



Family. RALLIDJE. — Bill long, curved at tip, sides com- 

 pressed, nostrils in membranous groove. Wings moderate. Tail 

 rounded. Tarsi and toes long and slender. 



Sub-family. Rallinae. — Bill long and slender, keel bold, sides 

 compressed. Toes free at base. 



Genus. Rallcs. — Bill curved from nostrils to tip, which is 

 slightly scooped; nostrils in groove, extending two-thirds the 

 length of bill, opening narrow. Wings, second and third quills 

 longest. Hind toe short and slender. Habitat — Many parts of 

 world. 



Genus. Ortrygometra. — Bill rather short, nostrils near mid- 

 dle of groove. Wings, second and third quills longest. Outer 

 toe longer than inner, hinder toe very slender and rather short. 

 Habitat — Most parts of world. 



Sub-family. Gallinulinae. — Bill short, keel advancing on fore- 

 head, sides compressed. Wings short and rounded. Toes very 

 long, slender, edged with membrane, hind toe long. 



Genus. Pokphyrio. — Bill much elevated at base, which is 

 flat and broad on forehead; nostrils in small groove. Wings, 

 second to fourth quills longest. Tarsi with broad scales. Outer 

 toe longer than inner; claws long and slender. 



Genus. Gallixula. — Bill suddenly curved at tip, nostrils 

 near middle of bill in a groove. Wings, second to fourth quills 

 longest. Habitat — Many parts of world. 



Genus. FulICA. — Bill deep, keel straight, forming a flattened 

 shield on forehead, curved near tip. Wings, second and third 

 quills longest. Toes much lobed, inner with two lobes, middle 

 with three, and outer with four. Habitat— Most parts of world. 



Order. ANSERES. — Tarsi short, compressed, set far back. 

 Toes webbed. 



Family. ANATIDS:.— Bill flat, broad, laminated on sides. 



Sub-family. Phoenicopterinae. — Bill long, rather compressed, 

 suddenly bent downwards in middle. Tarsi very long, thighs 

 also long and naked. Toes short 



Genus. Phcexicopterus. — Nostrils in groove, narrow, covered 

 by membrane. Wings, first and second quills longest. Tail 

 short. Hind toe nearly touching ground. Habitat — Warmer 

 parts of world. 



Sub-family. Plectropterinae. — Bill long, with broad horny tip. 

 Knee and end of thigh bare. Tarsi with squared scales. Hind 

 toe long. 



Genus. Plectrophaxes. — Bill, keel sloping to tip, base 

 large; nostrils oval. Naked protuberance on base of keel. 

 Wings, second to fourth quills longest, a spur on the bend. 

 Tail short and round. Cheeks and part of neck bare. Habitat — 

 Africa. 



Sub-family. Anserinae.— Bill not larger than head, keel ele- 

 vated at base, sloping to tip, which has a bard horny tip. Knee 

 bare, hind toe short, partially lobed. 



Genus. Cereopsis. — Bill very short, arched above till near 

 tip, and then flattened; nostrils large, rounded, in cere. Wings, 

 first quill short. Toes with indented web, hind toe not lobed. 

 Habitat — Australia. 



Genus. Axser. — Bill rather long, laminae at edge very wide, 

 edge of upper mandible arched at base; nostrils in middle of 

 bill, longitudinal. Habitat — Europe, Asia, and America. 



Genus. Berxicla. — Bill shorter than head, laminae not ex- 

 posed, but wide; nostrils narrow, in middle of bill. Wings, 

 first and second, or second only, longest. Tail short and 

 rounded. Hind toe very short and elevated. Habitat— Many 

 parts of world. 



Sub-family. Cygninae. — Bill long as head, with a soft cere, 

 bill equally broad throughout. Front toes with large web, hind 

 toe not lobed, keel very long. 



Genus. Cygxl's. — Cere entending to eve. tip horny. Wings, 

 second and third quills longest. Tail short and rounded. Hab- 

 itat — Northern Europe, Asia, and America. 



Sub-family. Anatinas. — Bill flattened towards tip, which has 

 a horny termination. Hind toe long and slightly lobed. 



Genus. Aix. — Bill shorter than head, horny tip very large, 

 edges straight. Wings, second quill longest. Toes with large 

 web. Habitat — America and China. 



