DIA'ISIONS OF BIRDS. 



293 



in the order Cursores, are so different from one another, that they 

 may be regarded as forming divisions of equal, or nearly equal, value 

 to the " orders " which form the sub-class Carinatce. 



SUB-CLASS II. CARINAToE. 



This sub-class includes all the living Birds which have the power 

 of flight, and it therefore comprises the great majority of the entire 

 class of Aves. The Carinate Birds, however, are so similar to one 

 another in their general characters that they can with difficulty be 

 split up into minor sections. For our present purpose, however, 

 we may divide them into the six orders of the Swimming Birds 

 (Natatores), the Waders {Grallatores), the Scratohers (Rasores), the 

 Climbers (Scansores), the Perchers (Imessores), and the Birds of 

 Prey (Raptores), which orders are more or less natural groups, with 

 the exception of the order Scansores. 



Order I. Natatores. 



The order of the Swimming Birds comprises birds which are as 

 much at home in the water as upon land, or even more so. In 



Fig. 20S.— A, Head of the Grey Lag Goose. B, Foot of the Domestic Goose 



accordance with their aquatic mode of life, the Natatores have 

 a boat-shaped body, generally elongated, and usually having a 



