332 



COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



Fig. 313.— Heron {Ardea). 



The legs are long or strong, and the knee is free from the 



body. The hind 

 toe, when present, 

 is small and ele- 

 vated. 



5. Grallatores, or 

 Waders. — These 

 are readily distin- 

 guished by their 

 long and bare legs. 

 Generally, also, the 

 toes, neck, and bill 

 are of proportion- 

 ate length, and the 

 tail short. They 

 feed on small ani- 

 mals, and, with a 

 few exceptions, fre- 

 quent the banks of rivers. In flying, their legs are 

 stretched out behind, while in most other Birds they are 

 folded under the body. 

 Such are the Rails, 

 Cranes, Herons, Storks, 

 Ibises, Stilts, Snipes, 

 Sandpipers, and Plov- 

 ers. 



6. Basores, or Scratch- 

 es. — As a rule, this 

 order, so valuable to 

 Man, is characterized 

 by a short, arched bill ; 

 short and concave 



w T ings, unfitted for pro- FlG> 314# __ Rail) or Marsh Hen {RaUus e iegam). 



tracted flight; StOUt United States. 



legs, of medium length ; and four toes, the three in front 



