50 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



long and pointed ; tail generally short and 

 rounded. 



4. Family. — Screamers (Palamedeidze). Bill not 



very long, rather slender -with culmen to- 

 wards tip somewhat elevated and curved, 

 or stouter and the culmen elevated at base 

 and curved to tip ; upper mandible rather 

 prolonged ; nostrils placed near middle of 

 bill ; tarsi long, sometimes very stout j toes 

 very long and armed with long, acute, and 

 straight or curved claws • wings moderate 

 and armed with an acute or blunt spur ; tail 

 generally short. 



5. Family. — Bails (Rallid^e). Bill varying in length, 



compressed, culmen sometimes advanced and 

 dilated, shield-like on forehead, always more 

 or less curved at tip , nostrils placed in a 

 groove towards middle of bill ; toes long, 

 sometimes margined on each side by a lobed 

 dilatation of the skin; wings usually round- 

 ed ; tail generally very short ; body com- 

 pressed. 



VIII. ORDER. — Aquatic Bikds (Anseres). 



Tarsi generally short, feet webbed ; plumage close 



and dense. 



1. Family. — Ducks (Anatidse). Bill covered by a 

 membrane, elevated and compressed at base, 

 depressed towards tip, and often more or less 

 dilated ; tip of upper mandible furnished 

 with a nail; lateral margins furnished with 



