Trumpeter Swan 73 
Smith notices two examples—one shot thirty miles south of Denver, 
probably at Palmer Lake, and one in the south of the State ; Cooke 
adds another shot at Fort Collins in the fall of 1896, while there is an 
example in the Colorado Museum of Natural History at Denver, 
obtained at Eaton, near Greeley. 
ORDER HERODIONES. 
This order contains the Storks, Herons, Ibises and 
Spoonbills, but not the Cranes. They are all marsh- 
loving birds, mostly of large size, and have long bills 
and necks and legs. The lower part of the tibial portion 
of the leg is nearly always bare; the toes are long with 
only a basal web as a rule, while the hind toe is jointed 
on a level with the others in nearly every case; the 
young are hatched helpless, and dependent on their 
parents for a considerable time. 
The order comprises six families; representatives 
of three of these are found in Colorado. 
Key oF THE FAMILIES AND GENERA. 
A. Bill flattened and spoon-shaped (Plataleide). Ajaja, p. 74. 
B. Bill long and down-curved and grooved throughout. (Ibidida). 
a. Face and chin naked in adults. Plegadis, p. 76. 
b. Only the front of the face naked. Guara, p. 75. 
C. Bill long and straight, with the tip only decurved ; not grooved 
on the sides ; claw of middle toe not pectinated (Ciconiide). 
Mycteria, p. 78. 
D. Bill long and straight, grooved along the sides; claw of the 
middle toe pectinated on, the inner side (Ardeide). 
a. Ten, tail-feathers. 
al Larger tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw. 
Botaurus, p. 79. 
b? Smaller tarsus about equal to the middle toe and claw. 
Ixobrychus, p. 81. 
b. Twelve tail-feathers. 
ai Naked portion, of the tibio-tarsus equal to or exceeding the 
inner toe and claw. 
a? Plumage white. 
a® Long plumes on the back only. Herodias, p. 84. 
