ORDER 



GALLINACE^. 



Rostrum breviusculumy convexum,Jbrnicatum, mandibula siiperiore 

 arcuata margines inferiores tegens, 



Nares laterales, vel ceromatibus, vel srjuama fornicali, vel mem- 

 hrana, vel plumis tectcs, aut semitedcE. 



Pedes tetradactyli, rarius tridactyli, digitis tribus anticis basi mem- 

 branula conjunctis, et subtus scabris : tibiis totis jdumis tectis. 



Beak short, convex, arched, with the upper mandible covering 

 the margins of the lower. 



Nostrils lateral, nearly or entirely covered with wattles, with an 

 arched scale, with a membrane, or with feathers. 



Feet four-toed, rarely three- toed 3 the three anterior toes con- 

 nected at the base by a slight membrane j their inferior sur- 

 face rough the tibiae entirely covered with feathers. 



The birds of this order are most extensively 

 useful to mankind, their flesh furnishing a sub- 

 stantial and wholesome food, and their plumage 

 serving for various domestic and ornamental pur- 

 poses : their bodies, for the most part, are large, 

 and very muscular; and their wings are very short : 

 their toes are rough beneath, to enable them to 

 scratch the ground in search of insects : they are 

 fond of w^allowing in the dust : many feed on grain 

 and seeds, whilst others feed on berries and buds, 

 but the greater portion subsist likewise on insects ; 

 the food remains some time in the gizzard to be 

 macerated. 



They are mostly polygamous, building their 



