158 AVES. 



whose trenchant ridge Is inflated near the base, and whose nostrils are con- 

 tinued by a groove, which runs parallel with the ridge to its end, the latter 

 being slightly hooked. Only one species is known. Scop, umbretta, which 

 is the size of a Crow, and of an umber colour. The occiput of the male is 

 tufted. Found throughout Africa. 



The genus Hiasts, Lacep., is only separable from the Storks by a char- 

 acter of but httle consequence, and that of Dromas, Payk., is very similar 

 to it, but the imder part of its compressed beak is perforated by oval nos- 

 ti'ils and its edges join closely. In Ilians they do not. 



Tantalus, Lin. 



The Wood-Pelicans have the feet, nostrils and beak of the Stork; but the 

 back of the beak is rounded, its point curved downwards, and shghtly 

 emarginated on each side: a part of their head and sometimes of the neck, 

 is destitute of feathers. 



T. loculaior, L. (The Wood-Pelican of America. ) Is the size of a Stork, 

 but more slender; white; quills of the wings and tail black; beak and feet, 

 as well as the naked skin of the head and neck, blackish. It inhabits both 

 Americas, arriving in each country about the rainy season, and frequents 

 muddy waters, where it chiefly hunts for eels. 



Platalea, Lin. 



The Spoonbills approximate to the Storks in the whole of their structure; 

 but their bill, whence they derive their name, is long, flat, broad through- 

 out, becoming widened and flattened, particularly at the end, so as to form 

 a spatula-like disk; two shallow grooves, originating at its base, extend al- 

 most to the end, but without being parallel to its edges. The nostrils are 

 oval, and situated at a short distance from the origin of each gi'oove. The 

 expansion of their biU deprives it of all its strength, and renders it fit for 

 nothing but turning up mud, or capturing small fish or aquatic insects. 



FAMILY IV. 



LONGIROSTRES. 



The family is composed of a multitude of Waders. Their gene- 

 ral character is a long, slender, and feeble bill, the use of which is 

 restricted to searching in the mud for worms and insects; the differ- 

 ent gradations in the form of this bill serve to divide them into 

 genera and subgenera. 



According to his ovi^n principles, Linnaeus should have united 

 most of these birds in the great genus 



