PALMIPEDES. 251 



[Here, at the close of the great series of Ground-Birds, as of the Perchers, may be intro- 

 duced a few brief remarks on the classiti cation of these animals, as warranted by the present 

 state of information. The divisions are not all so stron^^ly characterized apart as the four 

 principal ;.'rou|i^ or orders already specified ; but chiefly because certain genera stand forth 

 from the rest, and will not (so far as we can perceive at present) satisfactorily range with any 

 of the others. Preserving the same form of nomenclature as before adopted, as less objection- 

 able than any other that we can devise, the various groups of Ground-birds (as the vast 

 majority of the foregoing extensive series may he appropriately denominated,) fall into six 

 principal divisions, which may be designated as follow : — 



V. Gemitores (Coocrs) — the Pigeons; an order strongly characterized )jy the \\hole 

 internal anatomy, and not less so by the outward conformation. It is perfectly distinct from 

 the contiguous orders, to which it is linked by no intrinsically connecting species. 



VI. Rasore.s {Ground-scrutchers) — the Poultry : a group sutficiently cognizable in its 

 totality, but not easy to subdivide in such a manner as to c-xemplify the relative value of its 

 various genera. 



VII. CuRSORES {Runners) ; m the Brerip'rnnes r>i C\x\'ia. 



VIII. C.\LC->»T0UE3 (Stumpers) ; or tlie Pressirostres and Lonrjlroslres of our author, 

 comprising the numerous genera with soft and ile.xile bills, more or less prolonged, the greater 

 nnmber of which lay four eggs, which they dispose crosswise, &c. &e. The name alludes to 

 the habit which many of them display, of stamping with the foot, to cause the worms on 

 which they feed to rise. 



IX. Grad-VTORES (Staliers) ; or the Cullrirostres of Cuvier. 



X. Latitores (-SA-h/A-ct,?; ; or the Macrodacli/li. 



Each of tlicse appears to us to constitute a distinct and natur.il order, possessing various 

 distinguishing characters ; and we suspect that every genus of Ground-birds will ultimately 

 prove, when its characters have been sufficiently studied, to rank in one or another of them. 

 As a whole, thev form a scries, analogous to those of the Perchers and Sv:immers.'] 



THE SIXTH ORDER OF BIRDS,— 



THE PALMIPEDICS,— 



Have the feet organized for swimming; that is to say, placed far backwards on the body, with 

 short and compressed tarsi, and v.ebhed toes. They are further eli;iracterized by a close and 

 polished plumage, impregnated vi ith oil, and by a quantity of down iie.xt to the skin, wliicli pro- 

 tect them from the water in which they pass most of their lives. They arc the only birds in 

 iihich the neck is longer than the legs, which is sometimes the case to a considerable extent, 

 for tlic luirp ise of enabling them to search for food in the deptlis below, while tlji-y s^im on 

 tlic surface. Their sternum is very long, affording a complete guard to the greater portion of 

 their viscera, and having on each side [generally] but one emargiuation, or oval foramen, 

 filled up with membrane. They have most frequently a muscular gizzard, long co-ca, and a 

 simple inferior larynx ; •i\hich last is in one family, liowever, inflated into a cartilaginous cap- 

 sule. [So many exceptions occur to the foregoing generalization respecting the stomach and 

 cffica, that it might advantageously have been omitted.] 



Tliis order subdivides t(ilcra!jly well into four families, of which that of 



The Divers (Brachypteres) — 

 Prc-'nts, in certain ol^^its species, some [very superficial] tokens of relationship with the Galh- 

 nules. The position of their legs, wdiich is farther backward than in any other iiirds. renJi^rs 

 walkin" diilicult, and obliges them to maintam, when upon laud, an upright altitude. As tUo 



