GRALLATORES. 483 



{Ardea cinerea, fig. 188), It was one of the birds most gene- 

 rally pursued in the now almost extinct sport of falconry. 

 Various species of Heron are found over the whole world, both 

 in temperate and hot clinig,tes. Here, also, belong the various 

 species of Night Heron, {Nycticorax), the Bitterns {Botqurus), 

 and the Boat-bills {Cancroma), ■ ' 



The Ibises {Tantalinm) form a group of beautiful birds, 

 species of which occuy in all the warm- countries of the world. 

 They are distinguished by their metallic colours, long, cylin- 

 drical,, curved bill, and inpre or less nakeid-. head. One, the 

 Ibis rdigiosa, was regarded by the ancient Egyptians as a deity, 

 and was treated with divine honours, being often embalmed 

 along with their mummies, or figured on their monuments. 



The Storks (Ciconinm) are large birds, of which one, the 

 common Stork ( Cuonia alba}, is rarely found in Britain, but 

 occurs commonly on the Contine?^^, where if is often semi- 

 domesticated. The Storks live in ri^rshes, and feed on frogs, 

 fisheSi&c. Nearly related to the :ti^,StprHs are the gigantic 

 Marabout (Ciconia Marabou), and, A,djutanf (C. Argald) of 

 Africa and India, which possess a sausage-shaped appendage 

 in front of ;the neck. 



The Spoonbills (Plataleadce) are also large bii;(Js, very like 

 the Storks, but the bill is flattened; out so as to fornj, a broad 

 spoon-like plate. The common Wliite Spoonbill {flafalea 

 leucorodid) is found commonly, on the Continent, but is of very 

 rare occurrence in Britain. 



Fam. 2,- Longirostres. — The third family of Waders is that 

 of the Longirostres, characterised by the possession of long, 

 slender, soft bills, grooved for the perforations of the nostrils 

 (fig. 187, B). The legs are sometimes rather short, sometimes 

 of great length ; the toes are of moderate length, and the 

 hallux is usually short, and is sornetimes absent. The bill in 

 these birds serves as an organ of touch, being used as a kind 

 of probe to feel for food in mud or marshy soil. To fulfil this 

 purpose, the tip of the bill is furnished with numerous filaments 

 of the fifth nerve. They feed mostly upon insects and worms, 

 and are not strictly aquatic in their habits, mostly frequenting 

 marshy districts, moors, fens, the banks of rivers or lakes, or 

 the shores of the sea. 



In this family of the Long-billed Waders are the various 

 species of Snipe and Woodcock (Scolopacidd), the Sandpipers 

 (Tringa), the Curlpws (Nummius), the Turnstones 0trepsilas), 

 the Ruffs (Machetes), the Redshanks (Totanus), the Godwits, 

 (Zimosa), and others which need no special notice. 



Fam. 4. Pressirostres. — The members of this family are 

 22 



