SORTATION. 



37 



from the other families with whom we have brought them, by their 

 having only lo tail feathers ; and finally their curious comb-like 

 middle claw will betray them anywhere even if their bill 

 did not. There is, therefore, no difficulty in separating 

 the Ciconiidse, the Phasianida, and the Caprimulgida: ; 

 nor is there any with regard to the remainder of the 

 Charadriidas in this division. They consist of three 

 genera only, each containing but one species. The 

 Grey Plover is known at once by his white tail broadly 

 barred with black and brown, the Lapwing is at once 

 detected by his long crest, as the Turnstone is by his orange legs. 



We have only one group left in which the feet are united by 

 membranes. To it belong the whole of four families and certain 

 representatives of the Scolopacidas and Pas- 

 seridcE, the two families in which the feet give 

 us so much trouble because the foot is no 

 basis of classification. These four are : — 



Ardeidas (the Herons). 

 Gruidae (the Cranes). 

 Glareolidse (the Pratincole). 

 Upupidse (the Hoopoe). 



Here we can pick out the Hoopoe at once; 

 his erectile crest distinguishes him. And the 

 Pratincole need not linger in the list ; his 

 short bill, short legs, forked tail, and long 

 wings are sufficiently distinctive. With regard to the Cranes and 

 Herons we can divide them on their middle claw, which is smooth 

 in the Cranes and pectinate in the Herons ; but the long pendent 

 secondary feathers of the Cranes at once mark them off from the 

 Herons, even if their shorter beak did not. The genera of the 

 Scolopacidas are at once recognisable by their long thin bills ; and 

 when we come to deal with the Scolopacida; as a family by 

 itself, we shall have no difficulty in sorting out Totanus, Machetes, 

 Bartramia, and Limosaj and the few Passerines that come into the 

 group we can leave as we did before till the final settlement. 



It will be remarked that we have completed every family we have 

 yet mentioned except the Scolopacids and Passeridas, which we 

 agreed to treat exceptionally; and that we have now dealt with 

 all the families in which the feet are united, and including the birds 

 of prey, have eliminated from our thirty-five families : — 



Strigidse. 



Vulturidas. 



Falconidse. 



Alcidas. 



Laridas. 



PteroclidsE. 



Procellariidas. 



CEdicnemidae. 



Otididse. 



Charadriidae. 



Turnicidas. 



Pelecanidae. 



Colymbidae. 



Phoenicopteridse. 



Ibididas. 



Anatidse. 



Plataleidas. 



Alcedinidae. 



Meropidae. 



Ciconiidas. 



Phasianidas. 



Caprimulgidas. 



Ardeidas. 



Gruidae. 



Glareolidai 



Upupida;. 



