’ Ai sd 
190 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIR 
but we have no room to lay them before the reader. 
Among the Merganide the forms are very few, and 
consequently their circular succession cannot be traced. — 
(211.) The flamingos (Phenicoptina, fig. 179.) have 
hitherto been arranged by all writers with the waders ; — 
and it must be confessed that their very long legs 4 
totally unlike the rest of the Anatide, is much in favour | 
of such an arrangement. Never- — 
theless this character, however — 
important, is not sufficient in it-_ 
self to outweigh others still moni 
so. Although the bill of the fla- 
mingo is bent, and otherwise 
greatly modified from that of a 
duck, it is essentially formed carl 
performing the same office ; the 
margins are divided into lamine, ~ 
which shows that the food is 
taken in the same way; while 
the feet, however long, have the — 
179 
|Z 
A webbed toes of a duck. We con-— 
wi sider this form, in short, as no 
AB , other than the grallatorial type 
RAH! a we = Of the family of Anatide; and 
WP eds SM! did our space permit, we should — 
——— eS Jay before the ornithologist the 
various tests by which this station may be demonstrated — 
natural. It may be noticed, however, that even by 
its scarlet plumage it finds its analogy in the gralla 
torial family of Tantalide, and even in Tichodroma 
the corresponding type in the Certhiade; while a 
curved bill, and long legs, are two of the chief dis- 
tinctions of all grallatorial representatives. As being 
