ZOOLOGICAL 



33 



ORDER PALAMEDEIFORMES (3 Species). 



PALAMEDEID.E (Screamers ; 3 Species). Plate 16, Map iii. 



The members of this small family are strange-looking birds, entirely 

 ■confined to the Neotropical Region. They are divided into two genera, 

 the first of which includes only the Horned Screamer (Palamedea cornuta) of 

 the Amazonian forest-region. The second genus (Chauna) contains the 

 other two species, or Crested Screamers, one of which is found in Southern 

 Brazil and as far south as Argentina, while the other is a native of 

 Columbia and Venezuela. 



ORDER ARDEIFORMES (162 Species). 



IBIDID^l (Ibises ; 27 Species). Plate 16, Map iv. 



No fewer than 1 9 genera of these interesting birds are differentiated, 

 most of which contain only a single species. Considering the small number 

 of species, they have a remarkably wide range, occurring practically every- 

 where save the northern temperate regions and New Zealand. The best- 

 known members of the family are the Sacred Ibis (Ibis aethiopica) of Africa, 

 whose portrait figures so abundantly on the monuments of Ancient Egypt, 

 the beautiful Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) of South America ; and the 

 Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), a species with an extraordinarily wide 

 range in both Old and New Worlds, and occasionally visiting the British 

 Islands. 



PLATALEID^ (Spoonbills ; 6 Species). Plate 16, Map iv. 



The Spoonbills have almost as wide a distribution as the Ibises, although 

 only half-a-dozen species are known. Only one form (Ajaja ajaja) occurs in 

 America ; of the rest, two are confined to the Australian Region, and one 

 to Tropical Africa and Madagascar. The other two have an extensive 

 range, occurring from Central and Southern Europe to Japan, Formosa, 

 India and Eastern Africa. The White Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) 

 appears to have nested in the south-east of England about 300 years ago, 

 but it is now only a casual visitor to Britain, chiefly to the south-east coast 

 of England. 



CICONIID^: (Storks; 19 Species). Plate 16, Map iv. 



The Storks have a similar distribution to that of the Ibises and Spoon- 

 bills. Eleven genera are recognised, which are grouped into two sub-families. 

 The first of these (Tantalinse) contains two genera and four species which are 

 known as Wood-Storks or Wood-Ibises, and which are intermediate in char- 

 acter between the true Storks and the Ibises. The American Wood-Stork 

 ( Tantalus loculator) is the only representative of its genus, and one of the two 

 species of the family occurring in the United States. The true Storks 

 (Ciconiinse) comprise nine genera and fifteen species, all but two of which are 

 natives of the Old World. Two species occur in Europe, viz., the White 

 Stork (Ciconia ciconia), and the Black Stork (C. nigra). Both find a place 

 on the British list, but only as occasional visitors. The so-called Adjutants 

 or Marabous of the genus Peptoptihis, of which two are Oriental and one 

 Ethiopian, are also well-known members of the Stork family. 



SCOPIDJE (The Hammer-Head ; 1 Species). Plate 16, Map v. 



The single species (Scopus umbretta), for which this family is constituted, 

 is a curious-looking bird which inhabits wooded districts near water. It 

 occurs, but not very abundantly, all over Tropical and South Africa, in 

 Madagascar and in Southern Arabia. 



BALJENICIPITID^l (Whale-Headed Stork; 1 Species). 

 Plate 16, Map v. 



This family is formed for the reception of an extraordinary-looking bird 

 called the Whale-headed Stork or Shoebill (Balseniceps rex). It is only 

 found in the region of the White Nile and its tributaries, but is always rare 

 and is protected by law. Its food consists principally of fish, but other small 

 animals are also occasionally devoured. As a rule, it lives in places far 

 removed from human habitations. 



AEDEIDJE (Herons and Bitterns; 108 Species). Plate 16, Map v. 



This oreat family of fish-eating birds has a cosmopolitan distribution, and 

 several of its members have an extraordinarily wide range. The European 

 Nio-ht-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), for instance, occurs in every zoogeo- 

 o-raphical region, while other members of the family are found over practically 

 the whole of the Old World. Some 35 genera have been differentiated, 14 

 of which contain only a single species. Ten species claim a place on the 

 British list, only one of which, the Common Heron (Ardea einerea) is a 

 resident, the Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), a former native, having been 

 banished from our midst. 



ORDER GRUIFORMES (34 Species). 



PSOPHIIDJE (Trumpeters ; 7 Species). Plate 16, Map v. 

 The Trumpeters are a small group of fowl-like birds which are entirely 

 restricted to the Amazonian forest region. In their native country they are 

 domesticated for the purpose of protecting poultry, and when tamed show 

 crreat affection for their owners. All the species belong to a single genus 

 {Psophia). 



CARIAMID^I (Seriemas; 2 Species). Plate 16, Map v. 



This family contains only two species of birds, which are confined to a 

 comparatively small area in South America, and whose affinities have long 

 been a matter of discussion. By some authorities they have been regarded 

 as birds of prey, and placed near the Secretary-bird, to which, indeed, they 

 bear a close superficial resemblance. The Brazilian species (Cariama 

 cristata) occurs from Pernambuco to Paraguay and Matto Grosso, while the 

 more southern member of the family (Chunga burmeisteri) is confined to the 

 districts of Tucuman and Catamarca in the Argentine Republic. Both 

 species frequent open and grassy plains, and feed principally on small 

 mammals, reptiles and insects. 



GUVIBJE (Cranes; 19 Species). Plate 16, Map vi. 



The Cranes are widely distributed in the Old World, ranging from a little 

 north of the Arctic Circle to South Africa and Australia. Their principal 

 home is in North-eastern Asia, while on the other hand they are entirely 

 absent from the southern half of India, the Malay Archipelago, Madagascar, 

 Tasmania and New Zealand. Australia possesses only a single species, which 

 does not occur in the south-western portion ; and Africa has seven, two of 

 which, however, are only winter visitants to its northern portion. In the 

 New World only three species are found, which are confined to North 

 America, migrating as far south as Florida and Mexico on the approach of 

 winter. The Neotropical Region is thus entirely without representatives 

 of the Crane family. The Common Crane (Grus grus) formerly bred in 

 England, but now only occurs as an occasional visitant. 



ARAMIDJE (Courlans or Limpkins ; 2 Species). Plate 16, Map vi. 



This small family appears to form a natural link between the Rails 

 (Rallidee) and the Cranes (Gruidss). The two species at present known are 

 entirely confined to the tropical or subtropical parts of America. The more 

 northern of the two, that known as the Clucking Hen or Limpkin (Aramus 

 giganteus), is found in Southern Florida, the Greater Antilles and Central 

 America ; while the other (A. scolopaeeus), bearing the names of the Brazilian 

 Courlan, Lamenting Bird, or Crazy Widow, ranges from Venezuela and 

 Guiana to the Argentine Republic. These birds, whose cries are of a 

 melancholy, wailing character, varied with a clucking noise (hence their 

 popular names), frequent marshy and reedy districts, feeding principally 

 upon molluscs, insects and small reptiles. 



RHINOCHETID^G (The Kagu ; 1 Species). Plate 16, Map vi. 



The solitary member of this family (Phinochetus jubatus) is a somewhat 

 crane-like bird, remarkable for its strange dancing antics. It is entirely 

 confined to the island of New Caledonia, where it used formerly to be 

 tolerably common, but it is now only found in the wildest and most remote 

 parts of the island. 



MESCENATID^I (Mesoenas or Mesites ; 1 Species). Plate 16, Map vi. 



Mescenas (or Mesites) variegata, the only known representative of this 

 family, is confined to the island of Madagascar. It is nearly allied to the 

 Kagu (Phinochetus jubatus) found in New Caledonia, and is by some 

 authorities placed with it in the same family. It nests upon the ground, 

 but beyond this fact nothing appears to be known of its habits. 



EUPwYPYGrID.5: (Sun-Bitterns; 2 Species). Plate 16, Map vi. 



The Sun-Bitterns, so-called from their fondness for basking in the sun, 

 are exclusively confined to Central and South America. The better known 

 of the two species (Eurypyga helias) frequents swampy and wooded banks 

 of rivers from Venezuela and Guiana to Bolivia and Central Brazil ; while 

 the other (E. major) inhabits similar localities in Central America, Colombia, 

 and Ecuador. These birds are usually solitary, but are sometimes seen in pairs, 

 feeding principally upon insects and nesting in the low branches of trees. 



ORDER CHARADRIIFORMES (292 Species). 



CHIONIDID.E (Sheath-Bills ; 3 Species). Plate 17, Map i. 



The members of this family are curious pigeon-like birds, inhabiting the 

 southern extremity of South America and certain remote islands and districts 

 in the Antarctic regions, and are possibly surviving links between the 

 Charadriidse (Plovers, <fcc.) and the Laridse (Gulls, &c.). Chionis alba, the 

 best-known species, is sometimes called the "Kelp Pigeon." It is found 

 in Southern Patagonia, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South 

 Orkney Archipelago, and portions of the Antarctic Continent. The other two 

 species have their home in Kerguelen, Marion Island, Prince Edward and 

 the Crozet Islands. 



THINOCORYTHIDJE (Seed-Snipes; 5 Species). Plate 17, Map i. 



The Seed-Snipes, though somewhat partridge-like in appearance, are 

 structurally mostnearly related to the Plovers (Charadriidse), and are restricted 

 to the southern and extreme western portions of South America and the 

 Falkland Islands, where they inhabit the desolate ground of the Andes in 

 the north, and similar districts at low levels in the southern portion of their 

 range. Two genera have been described, containing three and two species 

 respectively. 



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