SORTATION. 



33 



We have only one three-toed group left. To it belong the Bustards, 

 the Otididce, which have their toes edged with a membrane ; the 

 SanderHng, which is the one representative of 

 the genus Calidris, the only genus of the Scolopa- 

 cidae which has but three toes ; and last and 

 chiefly the whole family of Plovers, or Charadriida, 

 with the exception of the Grey Plover, the Turn- 

 stone, and the Lapwing. From the Plovers the 

 Sanderling is at once distinguishable by its 

 ~^, having its bill as long as its head, and having it 

 ^. dilated at the point ; while the Plover's bill is not 

 dilated at the point, and is always either longer or 

 shorter than the head. And thus by taking out 

 the birds of prey and the birds with three toes we 

 have got rid of eight families out of thirty-five, 

 and claimed eight genera out of four more. 



But before we consider the four-toed class, which comprises the 

 bulk of the birds, British and otherwise, it would be as well to produce 

 our example, which it would not have done to have brought forward 

 before, inasmuch as it is only too plain that he is not a bird of prey, 

 and that he has more than three toes. 



Here he is, mapped out as far as it is necessary for him to be at 

 present, and it would be as well to identify his "districts." Here are his 



" primaries "and his 

 "secondaries," and, 

 at the upper angle, 

 the "alula ''or"bas- 

 tard wing" we have 

 already spoken of. 

 . On the top of the 

 " remiges," or flight 

 feathers, come the 

 " wing coverts,"and 

 over them come the 

 " lesser coverts." 

 Between the wing 

 and the back come 

 the shoulder fea- 

 thers, or " scapu- 

 lars," and at the 

 base of the back 

 come the " upper 

 tail coverts,'' from 

 beneath which run 

 the "rectrices," or 

 tail feathers. Above the back is the neck with the "nape," which 

 bears the "nuchal" feathers, the "occiput,'' or poll, the "crown," 

 already spoken of as being bare in the Vulturidas, and the "forehead," 

 just above the beak and in front of the eyes. 



But let us turn him over. Here we see that the " lore " is between 

 the eye and the beak, and that the " chin " is just underneath the 



