484 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



characterised by the moderate length of the bill, which is 

 seldom longer than the head, and has a compressed tip. The 

 legs are long, but the toes are short, and are almost always 

 partially connected together at their bases by membrane. The 

 hallux is short, and is often wanting. The wings are long, and 

 they can both fly powerfully and run with great swiftness. In 

 this section are two very distinct sub-families, the Charadriida 

 or Plovers, and the Otidce or Bustards. In the former of these 

 the legs are long and slender, the toes are united at their bases 

 by a small membrane, and the hind-toe is very small and raised 

 above the ground,. or is entirely wanting. In this group are 

 the true Plovers and Lapwings ( Charadrius and Vanellus), the 

 Pratincoles [Glareola), the Long -shanks {Himantopus), the 

 Oyster-catcher (Hcematopus), and the Thick-knee ( CEdicnemus). 

 In the Otidce, or Bustards, the legs are long and the toes are 

 short and furnished with stout claws. The hinder toe or hallux 

 is entirely wanting; and these birds are chiefly interesting from 

 the affinities which they exhibit to the Rasores on the one 

 hand, and to the Cur sores (Ostrich, &c..) on the other. The 

 wings, however, are of ample size, and the tail is long,^the 

 reverse being the case in the Cursores. The Bustards are 

 entirely confined to the Old World, and two species were for- 

 merly not uncommon in Britain. They are found in plains 

 and downs, and rarely fly, but run with great swiftness, using 

 the wings to accelerate their course. They are polygamous, 

 and the males are generally brighter and more variegated in 

 plumage than the females. 



CHAPTER LXVIII. 



CURSORES AND RASORES. 



Order III. Cursores. — The third order of Birds is that ol 

 the Cursores, or Runners, comprising the Ostriches, Rheas, 

 Cassowaries, Emeus, and the singular Apteryx of New Zealand. 

 In many respects the Cursores are to be looked upon as an 

 artificial assemblage; but in the meanwhile it will be most 

 convenient to consider them as forming a distinct division. 

 The Cursores are characterised by the rudimentary condition 

 of the wings, which are so short as to be useless for flight, and 

 by the compensating length and strength of the legs. In 

 accordance with this condition of the limbs, many of the bones 



