AVES. 



the water to a ccrtaia depth without immersing the feathers, and to wade therein and seize 

 tish by means of the neck and beak, the length of which is generally proportioned to that of 

 the legs. The stronger among them feed on fish and reptiles, and the weaker on worms and 

 insects. A very few content themselves in part with p-ain or lierhage, and these alone inhabit 

 at a distance from any water. 'I'heir external toe is most commonly united at base to the 

 mi{ldle one, l)y means of a short membrane; in some tlieje are two membranes, while others 

 want them entirely, having the toes quite separated ; it also sometimes hajipens, though 

 rarely, that they are palmated to the end : the thumb is altogether wanting in several genera; 

 and all these circumstances exert an inllucnee on their mode of life, which is more or less 

 aquatic. Nearly the whole of these birds, if we except the Ostriches and Cassowaries, have long 

 wings and fly well. They stretch out their legs backward during flight, contrary to what is ob- 

 served of others [or at least those of the i'oregoing order.s], which double them under the belly. 



Ill this Older we establish tive principal families, together with some isolated genera. 



The first family of Stilt Birds, tliut of 



The ^>ItKvII>E^•^•E3, 

 Although generally similar, in other respects, to the rest, differs widelv from them in the 

 shortness of the wings, which are inadequate to perform the function of tliL^lit. The beak and 

 regimen give them numerous affinities with the Gallinacea;. 



It appears as it all the muscular power i\hich is at the disposid of nature, ivould be insuffi- 

 cient to move such immense wings as would be required to support their massive bodies in 



the air: their sternum (fig. Hi) is a 



sinijile buckler, and without the rid<,'e 

 which exists m all other Birds. The 

 jieetoral muscles are reduced to ex- 

 treme tenuity; Init the |iosterior ex- 

 tremities regain wluit the wings have 

 lost. The muscles of their thighs, 

 and of the legs especially, are of an 

 enormous thickness. 



[Most, if not all, of these birds, are 

 inuarkablc for their singular moile of 

 iueuliatioii. In the Ostrich, Emeu, 

 and Xandou, it appears that several 

 females lay in the same nest, the eggs 

 being chiefly sat upon by the male, 

 who feigns lameness when disturlied : 



of ground-birds. It may therefore be jiresumed that tlicy are iiohgannuis, the attendant 

 feni.ales of each ujale de))ositing their eggs together, eonnnonly to the number of thirt\-, or 

 even more.] 



They all -.vaiit the back-toe. In the Ostrich, the number of phalanges to the two front-toes 

 are four aud five; in the Cassowary, [Emeu,] and Nandou, the phalanges of the three front- 

 toes number three, four, and five, respectivelv. M'e recognize two genera. 



The Ostriches (S/nit/iio, Lin.), — 

 Have lax ai]d flcxilile feathers on tlie wings, which latter are siitficiently long to acrrlerate tlieir siieeil. 

 Everyone is acquainted with tlie elegance nf ihrse sleuder-stcnuncd iVatluTs, tlie liarlis of wliirli 

 tliough furnished with secondary h.irbules, do not liiteli in earli otlier, as is tlie easr wiili frailieis 

 generally. Tlic lirak is Imrizontally deiiressed, of mean lengtli, and blniit at llie ti|i ; the toimie short, 

 and rouinled life a cresernt ; and the eye large, with its lids giirnished with la.shes. Their legs and 

 tarsi are very long. Thry have an enorinons crop, and consiilerahle iirovenliieuliis between the ere|i 



