258 AVES. 



i 



order to seek snails and worms, or frogs and fishes. They therefore 

 possess, with some exceptions, long wading legs, with usually naked 

 tibiae projecting freely from the body, and very long metatarsus often 

 covered with scales. But few have running legs (p. cursorii) and 

 are land birds (Bustards). Some (Rails) are similar in their mode 

 of life, the shortness of their legs and the structure of their toes, 

 to the swimming birds (Natatores), and swim and dive well, but fly 

 badly. Corresponding with the considerable length of the legs, there 

 is a long neck and usually also a long beak. The size and form of 

 the beak varies exceedingly. When small worms, Insect larvae and 

 Molluscs are sought in mud and loose earth, the beak is long, 

 but relatively weak and soft, and has a sensitive richly innervated 

 extremity; in other cases the beak is very strong, angular, and 

 adapted for the capture of fishes and frogs, and even of small 

 Mammals ; and finally in the transitional groups before mentioned 

 it is short and strong, like that of a fowl, with a somewhat arched 

 culmen, and adapted for an omnivorous diet. The feet also present 

 great differences in the size and connection of the toes. The wings 

 usually attain a medium size. The tail, on the other hand, is short. 

 The plumage is more uniform and simple, and but rarely presents 

 beautiful and glittering colours. Most Grallatores are migratory 

 birds of the temperate regions, and live in pairs, in a monogamous 

 state. They build rude nests on the ground, on the shore, or on 

 trees and houses, more rarely on water. The young are sometimes 

 altrices, and sometimes prcecoces. 



Fam. Charadriidae, Plovers. With tolerably thick head, short neck, and 

 hard-edged beak of medium length. Cnrsorius europceus=C. isabellinus M., 

 North Africa and South Europe ; Oedicnemm crepitans Temm., Steppes in 

 South Europe. Africa and West Asia, also on the great fallow lands in Germany. 

 Cliaradrim plvvialis L., Golden-plover, inhabits the Tundra ; Vanellus cristatus 

 M., Peewit, Germany and Holland. 



Fam. Scolopacidae. Snipe. Head of medium size, strongly arched with a 

 long, thin, usually soft beak, covered with a richly innervated skin. Totanus 

 hypoleucns Temm., Sandpiper ; Recurviroitra avocctta L., Avocet ; Tringa 

 cinerea Gm., Machetes pugnax Cuv., Ruff ; Scolopax rusticola L., Woodcock ; 

 Gallinago media Gray, Snipe ; G. gallinula L., Jack Snipe; Numenius arqtiata 

 L., Curlew. 



Fam. Herodii = Ardeidae. Herons and Storks. Large Grallatores with 

 powerful body, long neck, and small, partly naked head : beak powerful, without 

 cere, with sharp hard edges, sometimes curved at the point, rarely spoon- 

 shaped. Legs long, and naked far above the intertarsal joint ; feet usually 

 p. colligati; hind toe rests on the ground. Ibis rubra Vieill., the scarlet 

 Ibis of Central America. I. religiosa Cuv., the sacred Ibis ; Falcincllus 

 igneus Gray, Glossy Ibis ; Platalea leucorodla L., Spoonbill ; Ealceniceps 



