296 



VEKTEBIiATE ANIMALS. 



spend most of their time wading about in shallow water, feeding 

 upon small fislies, shell-tiKli, worms, and insects. Others, such as the 

 Storks, live mostly \ipoii the land, anil are more or less exclusively 

 vegetable feeders. 



Amongst the more inipurtant Cirallatorial birds are the Eail.s 

 (RalUdcn), "VVater-liens {(JulliutiUr), Cranes {Oraidce), Herons (J /•- 

 diddce), Storks {Ciconince), Snipes (Scolo/xicidte), Sandpipers (Triii- 

 ijidce), C'urlexNS {Xnineniiix), Ph.veis {(^'hiiradnid(^\ and Bustards 

 {Otida). 



The Bails are more or less tenestrial in their haljits, but inhabit 

 marshes and fens. Good e.xami)les are the ]\Iarsh-hen {Rallus ele- 

 f/ans) and tlie Virginia Rail (/?. n'ri/i»>\ii(n.'<) of North America, and 



ri:_'. 210.— Grallal HITS. A, Leg and Font of Curlew ; 3, Head ofSnirr 

 C, Beak of Avncd. 



the Corn-crake {Cri'.v prati'imis) nf Europe. The Water-hens (Ga!- 

 lirmla) and C'oots {Fidini) are acjuatic or semi-aquatic, swimming 

 and diving with the greatest ease. The Cranes are in the main 

 vegetable-feeilers, and inhabit dry plains. The Herons (fig. 211), 

 Egrets, Bitterns, and Night Hei'ons, form a beautiful family of Wad- 

 ing Birds, re|>resenteil in almost every jiortion of tlie known world. 

 Nearly allied to these are the brilliantly cciloured Ibises (TantaUna), 

 which inhabit all warm countries. The Cifoiiimv are all large birds, 

 and comprise the Storks and Adjutant ; while the Sjioonbills are 

 mainly separated ivmw thcni Ijy their flattened, spoon-shaped bill. 

 The ScolopacidiK, comprising the Snipes and AVoodcocks, the Trin- 

 gidw (or Sandjiipers), the Curlews {Niinieiiiiis), and various other 

 allied Birds, are distinguislied from the ])receding by the possession 

 of along, scfl, slender bill, which is used in ])robing the ground for 



