LAMELLIBOSTBES: ANSERINE BIBBS. 677 



dark brown, the spots usually mere pin-heads, sometimes large blotches. The nest is some- 

 times on dry ground a little awayfrom water. The young hatch covered with black down, 

 fantastically striped with bright orange-red, with vermiUon bill tipped with black. 

 885. (addenda.) P. a'tra. (Lat. atra, black.) European Coot. Like the last. Bill, includ- 

 ing frontal plate, entirely white ; edge of wing, and of first primary, white, but no white on 

 the crissum. Europe ; only N. Am. as ocomxing in Greenland. 



X. Order LAMELLIROSTRES : Anserine Birds. 



Bill lamellate : that is, both mandibles furnished along their tomial edges with series 

 of laminar or teeth-like projections, alternating and fitting within each other. Covering of 

 bill membranous, wholly or in greatest part. Tongue fleshy, usually with horny tip, and 

 serrate or papillate edges corresponding to the denticulations of the biU. Feet palmate ; hallux 

 elevated, free, simple, or lobed (rarely absent). Wings never eieeedingly long, rarely very 

 short. Tail generally short and many-feathered. (Esophagus narrower than in the lower 

 flesh-eating orders, usually with a more or less specially formed crop; gizzard strongly 

 muscular; intestines and their coeca long ; cloaca capacious. Legs near centre of equilibrium ; 

 position of body in walking horizontal or nearly so. Keproduction prsecocial. Sexual habit 

 frequently polygamous. Diet various, commonly rather vegetarian than animal. There are 

 two remarkably diverse types of lamellirostral birds, of more than family value, by some now 

 made the bases of separate orders. The matter at issue may be here compromised by the 

 recognition of two series, or suborders, as was done in the somewhat parallel oases of Colurriba, 

 GdlKnm, and Alectorides. 



17. Suborder ODONTOGLOSSiE : Grallatorial Anseres. 



Consisting of the single family of the Flamingoes; the OdontoghsstB of Nitzsch, the 

 Apipfdmorphce of Huxley, the Phcmdcopteridm of most authors. " The genus Phoenicopterus 

 is so completely intermediate between the Anserine birds on the one side, and the Storks and 

 Herons on the other, that it can be ranged with neither of these groups, but must stand as the 

 type of a division by itself. Thus the skuU has the long lacrymo-nasal region, the basi- 

 pterygoid facets, the prolonged and recurved angle of the mandible, the laminated horny sheath 

 of the Chenomorphce [Anatidce] ; but the maxiUo-palatines are spongy, and the general structure 

 of the rostrum is quite similar to that found in Storks and Herons. The lower end of the orus 

 is bare, but the feet are fully webbed ; and the pterylosis is said by Nitzsch to be completely 

 stork-like." (Huxley.) According to Garrod, two carotids are present, but the right is much 

 larger than the left, which joins it low down in the neck (unique in detail, but similar to the 

 disposition found in Bitterns and certain Parrots; fig. 94). The femoro-caudal is absent; the 

 ambiens, accessory femoro-caudal, semitendinosus and accessory semitendinosus are present 

 (difiering both from H&rod/kmes and AnatidtB). The tongue is thick, fleshy, papillate, with 

 terminal nail, and closely tied down ; oesophagus extremely narrow, with special crop ; gizzard 

 very muscular ; intestines ample, both in length and calibre ; two long coeca, constricted at 

 base ; a capacious cloaca. Bill of unique shape, but perfectly lamellate. General configur- 

 ation of body and members grallatorial ; legs and very slender neck exceedingly long, exhibit- 

 ing even an exaggeration of the proportions of Cranes, Storks, and Herons ; but toes webbed. 

 The external characters are so nicely balanced, between those of wading and swimming birds, 

 that the Flamingoes have been placed indifferently in both groups ; but nearly the whole 

 organization corresponds essentially with that of the duck tribe, the grallatorial relationship, 

 in form and habits, though so evident, being rather of analogy than of afliinity. The physi- 

 ological nature is said to be praecocial; the young hatching clothed and taking directly 

 to the water. 



