CHAPTEE IV 



NEOENITHES CARINATAE CONTINUED 



BRIGADE I LEGION II (PELARGOMOEPHAE). ORDERS : CICONII- 



FORMES ANSEEIFORMES FALCONIFORMES 



Order V. CICONIIFORMES. 



The Order Ciconiiformes is a somewhat unwieldy assemblage con- 

 sisting mainly of \\^ater-birds, which may be classed under the 

 Sub-Orders Steganopodes, Ardeae, Giconiae, and Phoenicopteri. 

 Of these the first contains the Phaethontidae or Tropic-birds, the 

 Sulidae or Gannets, the PJnilacrocoracidae or Cormorants and 

 Darters, the Fregatidae or Frigate-birds, and the Felecanidae or 

 Pelicans ; the second the Ardcidae or Herons and Bitterns, and the 

 Scopidae with the Umbrette ; the third the Giconiidae or Storks and 

 " "Wood- Ibises," and the Ibididae or true Ibises and Spoon-bills ; 

 while the fourth comprises the Phoenico2>teridae or Flamingos, 

 and the extinct genus Pcdaelodus, for which Dr. Gadow recognises 

 a separate family Palaelodidae. Among these the greatest 

 affinity to the Procellariiformcs is exhibited by the Steganopodes, 

 whereas the Phoenicopteri are so closely allied to the Anseriformes 

 that not a few writers prefer to include them in that Order. 



The Steganopodes are aquatic and chiefly marine birds, so 

 far homogeneous in structure that the details may well be set 

 forth in common ; while in some points they bear a great resem- 

 blance to the Cathartidac} Each Family contains a single genus, 

 except the Phalacrocoracidae, where Phalacrocorax and Plotus 

 may be considered the equivalents of Sub-families. 



The sternum is long, especially in Sida, while the large head 

 and short thick neck of Phaethon and Fregata may be contrasted 

 with the small head and remarkably long neck of Phalacrocorax, 

 and still more of Plotus ; Sula and Pdcranus being moderate in 



^ H. Gadow, Bronn's ThUr-Ecich, Aves, Syst. Theil. 1893, p. 135. 



