C A S S E LL'S 



BOOK OF BIRDS. 



THE STILT- WALKERS {Grallatores). 



The birds belonging to this order have unusually long legs, formed in such a manner as 

 to enable many of them to seek their food at a certain distance in the water ; and are further 

 characterised by their long thin neck, slender high tarsi, bare thighs, three or four toed feet, and 

 fully-developed wings ; but the construction of the bill, wings, and tail, and the coloration of 

 the plumage is so various, as to render a general description almost impossible. The Grallatores 

 are met with in every po. f ion of our globe, and alike occupy open plains, mountain ranges — even 

 as high as the snow-line— fertile valleys, or arid deserts, contesting possession of the sea-shore or 

 river banks with the True owimming Birds, and hat in such extraordinary numbers, as often to 

 render it a matter of wonder whence a sufncier*- ply of food can be obtained. During a three 

 days' passage into the White Nile we have seen an almost uninterrupted line of birds of this 

 description, numbering some fifty different species, running, fishing, and bathing, in thousands 

 and tens of thousands, upon each side of the stream, and literally swarming in every lake, pond, 

 or ditch in the vicinity. In Southern Asia and some of the islands of Southern and Central 

 America they are equally numerous, and overspread the sea-shore for miles. Travellers in Southern 

 India tell us that it is not uncommon to see them perched so thickly on the trees as to give 

 these the. appearance of being covered with magnificent white blossoms. Insects, worms, spawn, 

 fishes, and various small animals and reptiles, constitute the principal food of these voracious birds ; 

 some also consume seeds, leaves, and tender shoots of plants. As regards their powers of 

 locomotion considerable difference is observable, according to the situations which the various 

 species have been created to occupy ; for while some run with the utmost swiftness, and fly with an 

 energy scarcely inferior to that displayed by the Raptorcs, others move but slowly over the surface 

 of the ground, and make their way through the air with comparative labour and difficulty. Some few 

 frequent the branches of trees, and only take to the water in emergencies ; but, for the most part, they 

 both dive and swim with extraordinary facility. The vocal powers of the Grallatores are extremely 

 limited ; indeed, some species are capable of producing nothing more ..ian a hoarse, hissing note, 

 while others endeavour to make up for their deficiency in this respect by clap Ding with their mandibles. 

 No less various is the development of the senses, or the peculiarities of disposition observable in the 

 members of this extensive section, and to these we must therefore allude more particularly when 

 describing the different groups under which they have been classified. All such as inhabit the 

 temperate zones migrate, whilst those occupying warmer regions make excursions with great 

 vol. iv. — 119 



