48 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



G. Bill very broad and flattened, twice as wide near tip as at the 



middle ; ^ young XLVIII. Spoonbills. 



H. Nail of middle toe (pectinated) with a flue, saw-like ridge on the 



inner edge ;2 bill straight, acute, and with sharp cutting edges 



XLV. Herons, etc. 



H. Nail of middle toe without saw-like teeth. (I.) 



I. Bill very broad and flattened, twice as wide near the tip as at the 



middle i XLVIII. Spoonbills. 



I. Bill narrow, about as wide as high, gradually and decidedly curved 



downward for its whole length ^ XLVII. Ibises. 



I. Bill either narrow, straight for half its length and then curved 

 downward, "i or else a very large bill (over 2 high at base) with tlje 



end curved upward^ XL VI. Storks, etc. 



I. Bill higher than broad, about straight, not very acute ;S very large 

 birds over 40 long, witli very long necks and legs. XLIV. Cranes. 



Key to the Families of Swimming Birds 



* Hind toe present and connected with the inner toe by a webbing; i.e. 



all four toes webbed.' (E.) 



* The front toes bordered by broad membranes for their whole length ^ — ' 



— Diving birds with legs at the end of body LXIV. Grebes. 



— Legs near center of body. XLI. Phalaropes, or XLIL Rails, etc. 



* The three front toes connected together by webbing.' (A.) 



A. Bill with teeth or ridges along the edges, easily seen from the lower 



side 1° L. Ducks, etc. 



A. Bill with the cutting edges even. (B.) 

 B. Legs inserted so far back along the body that the bird in standing has 

 to take a vertical position (see p. 342) ; diving birds — 



— No hind toe LXII. Auks. 



— Hind toe present, short LXIII. Loons. 



B. Legs so inserted that the body in standing takes nearly a horizontal 



position. (C.) 

 C. Nostrils tubular, the tubes near together at the top of the bill ; ^^ 



wings less than 1-3 long LVII. Shearwaters, etc. 



C. Nostrils tubular, the tubes on the sides of the bill near the base ; 



wings, lG-30 long LVIIL Albatrosses. 



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