188 



ON ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AND THE 



FOOTED : they are ordinarily characterized by having the bill covered with 

 skin, broad or gibbous at the tip, and a palmate or web-foot, formed for swim- 

 ming-: the tongue is uniformly fleshy, and the bill, in many instances, denti- 

 culate or toothed. It includes only thirteen kinds, of which I may take, as 

 examples, the anas, comprehending the very numerous families of duck, 

 goose, swan, wild-duck, teal, and shoveler : the mergus or merganser ; alca 

 or awk; aptenodytes or penguin; pelecanus or pelican ; colymbus, compri- 

 sing the grebes, guillemots, and divers ; and procellaria or petrel. The petrels 

 have an extraordinary habit of spouting from their bills a considerable quan- 

 tity of oil upon any object that offends them. The procellaria ^e/c^2ca, or 

 stormy petrel, is the most daring of all birds during a tempest, though not 

 more than six inches long. The moment he beholds the black clouds col- 

 lecting, he quits his rocky retreat and enjoys the magnificent and growing 

 spectacle ; he darts exultnigly athwart the concave, and skims with trium- 

 phant temerity the loftiest peaks and deepest valleys of the most tremendous 

 waves. The appearance of this bird is, to the sailor, a sure presage of an 

 approaching storm. 



The GRALL^, or waders, form the fourth order of birds in the Linnaean 

 system. They are characterized by possessing a roundish or subcylindric 

 bill, a fleshy tongue, and legs naked above the knees. The ardea, or genus 

 that includes the herons, cranes, and bitterns, is the most numerous. The 

 scolopax, which includes the curlew, snipe, and woodcock; the tringa, which 

 includes the sandpiper, the ruff, and reeve, and the lap-wing or pewit ; the 

 fulica, which includes the gallinule, coot, and moor-hen; and the charadrius 

 or plover; are among those that are most familiar to us. To this order 

 also belongs the tantalus or ibis, so celebrated for the divine honours paid to 

 it for many ages throughout Egypt; and, at least, a most valuable bird from 

 its clearing the land of those numerous reptiles and insects, which are left 

 upon its surface after the exundations of the Nile. It is the abu-hannes of 

 Bruce, which, however, M. Cuvier regards as not properly a tantalus ; and 

 has, consequently, made a distinct genus for receiving it, to which he has 

 given the name of neumenius ; and hence, under his classification, it is a 

 Neumenius Ibis, instead of a Tantalus Ibis. 



The FIFTH ORDER cmbraccs the galling or gallinaceous birds ; those which 

 strictly come under the denomination of poultry. They are chiefly charac- 

 terized by having a convex bill, with the upper mandible arched. They are 

 the least numerous of all the orders next to the accipitres, and extend to not 

 more than ten kinds or genera ; many of which, however, are very extensive 

 in their species. The kinds most familiar to us are the phasianus or phea- 

 sant, including all the families, and their numerous varieties of common cock 

 and hen ; the tetrao or partridge, including all the families and their numerous 

 varieties of grouse, red-game, black-game, ptarmigan, and quail; the pavo or 

 peacock ; and meleagris or turkey. To this order also belong the numidia, 

 pintado or guinea-hen, the Otis or bustard, the didus or dodo, and the struthio, 

 including those large and stately birds, the emeu, cassiowary, and ostrich: 

 the last of which, though incapable of flying, derives from its wings a fleet- 

 ness of running, that is unrivalled by any animal whatever. This bird is 

 capable of being tamed, and may be conveniently rode ; and Adanson asserts, 

 that, when mounted, it will surpass the speed of the most rapid courser. He 

 tells us, that while he was at the factory at Podore, he was in posssesion of 

 two tame ostriches, the oldest of which, though young, would carry two 

 negroes upon its back, with a rapidity superior to what has ever been exhi- 

 bited by the fleetest racer upon the Newmarket turf. 



The LAST ORDER of thc bird class is entitled passeres, for which, in the 

 sense here intended, we have no exact English synonym; but it is designed 

 to include various kinds and families, which, for the most part, may be denomi- 

 nated small birds and singing birds. The}' are characterized by having the 

 bill conic and sharp-pointed, and the nostrils naked. To this order belong 

 the alauda or lark kind; the columba, pigeon, and dove kind; the emberiza 

 or bunting, including the yellow-hammer ; the fringilla or finch, with all its 



