THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIBDS. 



275 



The second, Phasianidm, includes all the Peacocks, Pheasants \ 

 Tragopan8^ Tm-£eys, Fowls, and Guinea-fowls'. The third 

 family, ■ Tetraonidce, takes its name from the Capercailzie, 

 and also includes the Partridges and Quails, the Calif ornian 

 Quail*, and many others. The Curassows' constitute the 

 fourth family, Cracidce, whilst the last family of Megapodidce 

 consists of the Mound-builders \ also called Megapodes and 

 Brush-turkeys. 



The twelfth order, Limicoliformes, of 330 species, contains the 

 silborders 1. Limicolce and 2. Gavice, which may be characterized 

 thus : — 



Order XH. LIMICOLIPOEMES. 

 Toung born covered with down and able to run in a few 

 hours ; palate schizognathous ; dorsal vertebrae more or less 

 opisthocoelous ; spinal feather-tract forked on the upper back ; 

 nasals mostly schizorhinal, sometimes holorhinal ; fontanelles 

 often present on the lateral occipital bones ; oil-gland tufted. 



Suborder 1. Limicolce. 

 Basipterygoid processes present; dorsal vertebrae always 

 opisthocoelous. 



Suborder 2. Qavim. 



Basipterygoid processes absent ; dorsal vertebrae more or less 

 opisthocoelous. 



In this order there are four families, two to each suborder. 



The first family, Charadriidce, receives its name from the 

 Plovers'; but it also contains the Curlews", the Woodcock, 

 the Snipes and Stints, the Sandpipers, the Euffs", God- 

 wits and Oyster-catchers ", the Stilts " and Avocet ", the 

 Crooked-bill Plover", the Thick-knees", the Peewit, the 

 Coursers ^', the Pratincole ", that very curious bird the Sheath- 



