A VES— ORDER ARDEIFORMES. 



The Shoe-billed 

 Storks.-Sub-order 



UulccnioipUides. 



Fig. 42.— Thb Shoe-bulkd Stosk 

 (Bal(Bniceps rex). 



region, but instead of being widely distributed like the Hammer-head 

 the Shoe-bill is confined to the districts of the Upper Nile. The shape of 



the bill, with its dertral hook, 



is sufficient to distinguish 



Lialceniccps at a, glance. The 



genus further possesses two 



powder-down patches like the 

 Herons, but differs from the latter birds in the 

 absence of any pectination on the middle claw, 

 and in its Stork-like furcula. Taking all points 

 of its anatomy into consideration, the balance of 

 evidence seems to be in favour of the alliance of 

 Bakeniceps with the Storks. 



Von fleuglin considered the " Abu-maskup " 

 or Shoe-bill to be a kind of Marabou, and an 

 inhabitant of the Upper Nile regions, such 

 as the Saraf River, the Lower Kir district, 

 and the Gazelle River, and the countries lying 

 between. It is everywhere a shy bird and 

 decidedly scarce, its habits being Stork-like, 

 standing on one leg and feeding on fish. Its 

 only note seems to be a snapping of the bill 

 like that of a Stork. 



One of the chief differences between the Herons and the Storks is the 

 pectinated claw on the third or middle toe, and another difference is the posi- 

 tion of the hind toe, which, in 



the Storks, is elevated above 



the level of the other toes, 



and in the Herons is on the 



same level as the latter. 

 The median process on the furcula has been 

 already alluded to. The Herodioties may be 

 divided roughly into the Herons and the 

 Bitterns. The former have twelve tail-feathers, 

 and the latter ten. 



The true Herons comprise a large number 

 of genera, all more of less closely connected 

 together, but differing in certain constant 

 peculiarities, which warrant their being separated 

 as genera, or, at least, as sub-genera. Thus the 

 Purple Heron of Europe is remarkable for its 

 long middle toe, which is as long as the tarsus, 

 and hence it is known as Phoyx pur^piirca. 



The genua AnJea, on the other hand, has the 

 proportions of the toes different, the middle toe 

 being shorter, and the tarsus longer than the 

 middle toe and claw. Besides the pectinate or 



comb-like claw on the middle toe, our Common Heron (.1. cinerea) has the 

 tip of the bill serrated or furnished with saw-like notches along the cutting 

 edge at the end of the upper mandible. 



The Common Heron is now to be found nesting in England only in 

 certain heronries where the bird is protected. The havoc which the bird 



The Herons.- 

 Sub-order 



Merod'wnes. 



Fi(j. 43.— Thb Cosision Hbeoh 

 {Ardea cinerea). 



