﻿240 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  swans 
  captured 
  in 
  this 
  State 
  in 
  the 
  hope 
  that 
  we 
  may 
  add 
  this 
  noble 
  species 
  

   definitely 
  to 
  our 
  avifauna. 
  

  

  Order 
  HERODIONES 
  

  

  Herons 
  etc. 
  

   Order 
  Ardeiformes, 
  Sliarpe's 
  Hand-List 
  

   Bill 
  long, 
  normally 
  sharp 
  and 
  horny 
  at 
  tip 
  with 
  cutting 
  edges 
  (Cultri- 
  

   Tostral 
  type) 
  ; 
  skull 
  sloping 
  gradually 
  to 
  base 
  of 
  bill 
  and 
  intimately 
  joined 
  

   with 
  it 
  ; 
  nostrils 
  small 
  and 
  elevated, 
  with 
  bony 
  surroundings 
  ; 
  head 
  more 
  or 
  

   less 
  naked 
  at 
  least 
  on 
  the 
  lores; 
  neck 
  long, 
  of 
  15 
  to 
  17 
  vertebrae, 
  easily 
  

   bent 
  into 
  a 
  strongly 
  curved 
  S-shape; 
  legs 
  long, 
  the 
  tibiae 
  bare 
  below; 
  toes 
  

   long, 
  the 
  hind 
  one 
  nearly 
  or 
  quite 
  on 
  a 
  level 
  with 
  the 
  front 
  ones; 
  wings 
  

   long 
  and 
  broad; 
  tail 
  short, 
  of 
  about 
  12 
  feathers; 
  skull 
  desmognathous 
  ; 
  

   carotids 
  double 
  (abnormal 
  in 
  the 
  Bittern) 
  ; 
  food 
  chiefly 
  fish, 
  reptiles, 
  amphib- 
  

   ians, 
  mollusks 
  and 
  other 
  aquatic 
  animals. 
  These 
  birds 
  are 
  preeminently 
  

   waders 
  (Grallatores) 
  , 
  and 
  stalkers 
  (Gradatores) 
  , 
  moving 
  with 
  slow 
  and 
  

   stealthy 
  gait, 
  often 
  remaining 
  motionless 
  and 
  standing 
  on 
  one 
  leg. 
  They 
  

   seize 
  their 
  prey 
  by 
  a 
  quick, 
  straight 
  thrust 
  of 
  the 
  beak. 
  From 
  the 
  nature 
  

   of 
  their 
  feet 
  they 
  are 
  mostly 
  good 
  perchers 
  and 
  nest 
  largely 
  in 
  trees, 
  the 
  

   nest 
  being 
  bulky 
  and 
  rude, 
  the 
  eggs 
  few 
  and 
  plain 
  in 
  color. 
  The 
  young 
  

   are 
  psilopaedic 
  and 
  altricial. 
  

  

  Family 
  IBIDIDA-EJ 
  

  

  Ibises 
  

  

  Bill 
  long, 
  slightly 
  compressed, 
  almost 
  cylindrical, 
  grooved, 
  curved 
  

   throughout; 
  legs 
  short 
  for 
  the 
  order; 
  front 
  toes 
  webbed 
  at 
  base; 
  claw^s 
  

   compressed, 
  sharp, 
  resting 
  on 
  a 
  horny 
  "shoe;" 
  tail 
  short, 
  usually 
  of 
  12 
  

   feathers; 
  tarsus 
  usually 
  scutellate 
  in 
  front; 
  palate 
  schizorhinal 
  ; 
  no 
  basip- 
  

   tery 
  golds; 
  occipital 
  foramina, 
  ambiens, 
  femorocaudal 
  and 
  its 
  accessory, 
  

   semitendinosus 
  and 
  its 
  accessory 
  present; 
  pectoralis 
  major 
  simple; 
  sternum 
  

   two 
  notched 
  on 
  each 
  side; 
  tongue 
  very 
  small; 
  two 
  coeca; 
  feather 
  tracts 
  

   broad; 
  no 
  powder-downs. 
  

  

  There 
  are 
  about 
  32 
  species 
  of 
  ibises, 
  confined 
  to 
  the 
  tropical 
  and 
  

   wanii 
  temperate 
  regions. 
  They 
  inhabit 
  marshes, 
  swampy 
  rivers 
  and 
  lake 
  

   shores, 
  some 
  of 
  them 
  resembling 
  curlews 
  in 
  general 
  appearance. 
  

  

  