Order  V.  GALLING. 
Family  V.  Chionididje. 
The  second  Subfamily, 
CHIONIDINiE,  or  Sheathbills, 
have  the  Bill  short,  strong,  compressed  on  the  sides,  and  the  basal  half  coated  by  a  horny  covering, 
which  conceals  the  Nostrils. 
Chionis  Foi^st* 
Bill  short,  strong,  base  broad,  compressed  towards  the  tip,  the  culmen  gradually  curved  to  the  tip, 
the  base  covered  by  a  horny  substance,  with  the  anterior  margin  dentated  and  furrowed  above  ;  the 
base  of  the  upper  and  that  of  the  lower  mandible,  and  cheeks,  covered  by  a  naked  skin ;  the  nostrils  oval, 
and  more  or  less  concealed  by  the  horny  covering.  Wings  moderate,  with  the  second  quill  the  longest, 
and  the  bend  of  the  wing  tuberculated.  Tail  moderate  and  even.  Tarsi  short,  strong,  and  covered  with 
small  rough  scales.  Toes  moderate  and  strong,  covered  above  with  transverse  scales ;  the  outer  toe 
united  to  the  middle  one  by  a  membrane  at  the  base ;  the  hind  toe  small,  elevated,  and  placed  on  one 
side ;  the  claws  short  and  obtuse. 
These  singular  birds  are  found  on  the  islands  of  the  Antarctic  Ocean,  and  at  the  southern  extremity  of  South 
America.  Their  flight  resembles  that  of  the  pigeons.  They  frequent  the  shores,  searching  for  their  food,  which 
consists  of  shells,  chiefly  Patella,  sea  weeds,  and  the  remains  of  animals  cast  on  the  coast  by  the  action  of  the  sea ; 
these  are  usually  mixed  with  a  few  small  stones.  These  birds  have  been  observed,  by  southern  voyagers,  in  the  open 
ocean  at  a  great  distance  from  the  land,  where  they  are  supposed  to  rest  and  to  feed  on  the  sea  weeds  and  other  refuse 
that  are  cast  on  the  icebergs. 
1.  C.  alba  Forst  Lath.  Syn.  v.  pi.  89.  —  Chionis  lactea  Forst.  Bonite,  Ois.  t.  9-  (heads  of  adult  and  young)  Voy.  de  l'Uranie,  Ois. 
Desc.  Anim.  p.  330.  et  Icon.  ined.  ]  25.  ;  C.  necrophaga  Vieill.  ;  C.     t-  35. 
Novae  Hollandise  Temm. ;  Coleorhamphus  nivalis  Dum.  Voy.  de  la         2.  C.  minor  Hartl.  Rev.  Zool.  1841.  p.  5.  1842.  t.  2.  f.  2.  (head). 
*  Established  in  1788  by  J.  R.  Forster  (Enchiridion  Hist.  A«(.  Ins.  p.  37-).  Vaginalis  of  Gmelin  (1788)  and  Coleorhamphus  of 
Dumeril  (1806)  are  coequal  with  the  name  employed. 
April,  1845. 
