AVES 



415 



developed wings. Loons however are good fliers. Auks and 

 puffins are marine forms. The loons and grebes are found in 

 fresh waters and use flags and rushes for nests. 



Fig. 214 



Fig. 214. Green Heron {Btilorides virescens v'n-esccns). Photographed by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt 



Questions on the figure. — To what order of birds does the heron belong? 

 What are its nearest relatives? What can you say of the habits 01 the order? 



The Longipennes {long-winged) are the tern, gulls, etc. 

 These are aquatic birds with webbed feet and long, pointed 

 wings. They are splendid fliers and mostly good swimmers. 

 There are both marine and fresh-water types. They are gre- 

 garious, especially at the breeding season, when they swarm on 

 sandy shores, in the marshes, or on the rocky coasts, where they 

 lay their eggs in crude nests or on the bare rocks. They are 

 the most common birds of the seashore and the high seas. 



In the Steganopodes (web-footed) are included cormorants, 

 pelicans, etc. These are large water birds in which the legs are 



