ORDERS OF BIRDS. 201 



arated by a constriction from the aoft membranous basal portion. Nostrils 

 beneath a soft, tumid valve. Tomia of the mandibles mutually apposed. 

 Frontal feathers sweeping in strongly convex outline across base of upper 

 mandible. Legs feathered to the tarsus or beyond. Hallux incumbent (with 

 few exceptions), and front toes rarely webbed at base. Tarsus with small 

 scutella in front, or often reticulate, the envelope rather membranous than 

 corneous. Head very small. Plumage without after shafts. One pair of 

 sjringeal muscles. Sternum doubly notched, or notched and fenestrate on 

 each side. Carotids double. Palate schizognathous. Monogamous, and 

 highly altrioial and psilopsedic. 



F. GALLING. Bill generally short, stout, convex, with an obtuse vaulted tip, 



corneous, except in the nasal fossa, and without constriction in its continuity. 

 Nostrils scaled or feathered. Tomia of upper mandible overlapping. Frontal 

 feat ":ers forming re-entrant outline at base of upper mandible. Legs usually 

 feathered to the tarsus or beyond. Hallux elevated, with few exceptions, 

 smaller than the anterior toes, occasionally wanting (as in the Hemipods). 

 Tarsus, when not feathered, generally broadly ecutellate. Front toes com- 

 monly webbed at base. Claws blunt, little curved. Wings strong, short, and 

 concavo-convex. Retriees commonly more than twelve. Head small, plu- 

 mage generally after-shafted. Carotids double (except Turnicidce and Mega- 

 podidm). No intrinsic syringeal muscles. Sternum very deeply, genemlly 

 doubly, notched. Palate sohizognathous. Chiefly polygamous. Prsecocial 

 and ptilopsedic. 



G. LIMICOL.ai!. Tibia bare of ffiifiljers for a variable, sometimes very slight dist- 



ance above the sufirago. Lo^js commonly lengthened, sometimes excessively 

 80, ard neck usually produced in a corresponding ratio. Tarsi soutellate or 

 reticulate. Toes never coherent at base ; cleft or united for a short distance 

 by one or two small movable basal webs (palmate only in Becurvirostra 

 lobate only in Phalaropodidce). Hallux always reduced, obviously elevated and 

 free, or wanting ; giving a foot of cursorial character. Wings, with few ex- 

 ceptions, lengthened, pointed, and flat ; the inner primaries and outer second- 

 aries very sbort, forming a strong re-entrance on the posterior border of the 

 wing. Tail shorter than the wing, of simple form and of few feathers, except 

 in some ceitain snipes. Head globose, sloping rapidly down to the contracted 

 base of the bill, completely feathered (except in Philomaohus, male). Gape of 

 bill short and constricted ; tip usually obtuse ; bill weak and flexible. Ros- 

 trum commonly lengthened, and more or less terete and slender ; membranous 

 wholly or in great part, without hard, cutting edges. Nostrils narrow, placed 

 low down, entirely surrounded with soft skin ; nasal fossae extensive. Palate 

 sohizognathous. Sternum usually doubly, sometimes singly, notched. Caro- 

 tids double. Pterylosis of a particular pattern. Nature p89cocial and ptilo- 

 peedio. 

 H. HERODIONES. Tibise naked below. Legs and neck much lengthened in cor- 

 responding ratio. Toes long, slender, never coherent at base, where cleft, 

 or with movable basal webbing. Hallux (as compared with that of the pre- 

 ceding and following group) lengthened, free, and either perfectly incum- 

 bent or but little elevated, with a large claw, giving a foot of incessorial 

 character. Wings commonly obtuse, but broad and ample, without marked 

 re-entrance on posterior border, the intermediate reniiges not being much 



