30 MANUAL 



membrane enclosing the openings of the nostrils. One would 

 hardly mistake the peculiarities of a common domestic pigeon, 

 which represents the order well : the striking features of the 

 bill, the feet, and the soft, compact plumage, are noticeable 

 throughout the birds of this order. These birds are very 

 closely related to the old order of Rasores, which included 

 them with the next order (the Gaeeix.e) ; but we seldom use 

 the name now. 



It will be observed, that with the Columb.e we close the 

 Sub-class of Aerial Birds. [The Ixsessores, as they are still 

 called, which, with the Cursores, the Graelatores, and 

 the Natatores, form all that remains to us of the misleading 

 names of the old-time classification of early writers]. 



ORDER VI GALLINAE 



Latin gallus (m), gallina (f), a domestic fowl. 

 The Gallin.e is still another small yet well-defined 

 order. It is also, so to speak, an historic order, being really 

 the old order of Rasores or Seratchers. Its principal mem- 

 bers are easily separated : for, — though some of the species 

 show characters which agree well with some of the Plovers — 

 thus approaching the AVading birds — on the one hand; and 

 an the other it contains, at present, the Texan Guax, which 

 is sometimes placed with the order Columb.e, — no one would 

 fail to recognize instantly the fowl-like appearance of its mem- 

 bers, the Grouse and Quails. I should define the order as 

 follows : Bill short and stout and shorter thau the head, base 

 not covered with a soft membrane (as in Columb.e) ; legs 

 rather long, toes short, usually elevated somewhat above the 

 rest, and with connecting membrane at their base ; general 

 appearance fowl-like. 



Some writers divide the order into two sub-orders, — but 

 this does not seem necessary, as there are so few birds in it 

 that it would hardly be required, especially as one of them 



