GRALLATORES. 171 
whatever that the Columbide represent the Tenuirostres : 
it therefore results that the Cracide will typify the 
Scansores ; with which, as before mentioned, they evince 
_ a disposition to unite by absolute affinity : the Pavonide 
thus become the typical family, and the Tetraonide the 
subtypical. 
CHAP. XIII. 
ON THE ORDER OF GRALLATORES, OR WADING BIRDS. 
(193.) In taking leave of the rasorial order,we finally quit 
all those families which are usually termed /and birds, 
and enter among such as habitually frequent the water ; 
but nature, ever prone to follow those “measured steps 
and slow,” by which all her changes are accomplished, 
places between those great divisions, inhabiting two dif- 
ferent elements, a peculiar order, whose habits partake 
both of the one and of the other. This order is com- 
posed of the GratuatoreEs, or waders. It comprises 
all such families as live both on the land and sea, and to 
whom the one element is as essential as the other. 
There food chiefly consists of small marine animals, cast 
‘up, or inhabiting the shore. To procure such food, these 
birds must often wade in the water, or traverse marshes : 
hence they are provided with remarkably long legs for 
elevating their body, and slender bills for penetrating 
into the soft ground. Such as are more especially 
aquatic have a short web to their toes ; while others, like 
the plovers, which seldom venture into the water, have 
not this structure. Their wings are very long ; for they — 
have no settled district, but fly from shore to shore as 
the seasons change. Incapable of that perfection in 
‘swimming which is developed in the next order, the 
‘waders may be termed marine Rasores, or fowls of the 
