SCOLOPACEOUS COURLAN. 187 



genus Rallus." Finally, he reverts to his original idea, and places it at the 

 head of the Rallidse. Mr. Swainson refers it to the Tantalidse, associating 

 it with Anastomus, Tantalus, and Ibis, to which it certainly has very lit- 

 tle affinity in any point of view. 



The efficiency of the digestive organs as a means of determining affinities 

 in cases of doubt, is happily illustrated in this instance; and any person who 

 will make himself acquainted with them will easily discover numerous false 

 associations in all systems founded on the external aspect alone. 



FAMILY XXXIV.— GRUIN^E. CRANES. 



Bill about the length of the head, straight, depressed at the base, compress- 

 ed toward the end, rather obtuse. Nostrils sub-basal, lateral oblong. Head 

 rather small, oblong; neck long; body large, compressed. Legs long and 

 slender; tibia bare at the lower part; tarsus somewhat compressed, anterior- 

 ly scutellate; toes rather long, first short and somewhat elevated; claws ob- 

 tuse. Plumage full and rather compact. Wings broad, convex, the inner 

 secondaries elongated and decurved; tail short, rounded. 



Genus I.— GRUS, Briss. CRANE. 



Bill longer than the head, straight, rather slender, but strong, compressed, 

 obtusely pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, a little 

 concave at the middle, slightly declinate toward the tip, the ridge flat and 

 rather broad as far as the middle, the sides sloping, towards the end convex; 

 the nasal sinus narrow, bare, and extending to nearly two-thirds, the edges 

 direct, thick; lower mandible with the angle narrow and very long, the sides 

 perpendicular at the base, the edges thick, the tip narrow and obtuse. Nos- 

 trils sub-basal, lateral, oblong, large, pervious. Head small, compressed; 

 neck very long and slender; body very large, but compressed. Feet very 

 long; tibia bare to a great extent; tarsus long, stout, moderately compressed, 



