12 
THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. 
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their delicate white plumes ; the Bitterns and Night-Herons ; the 
Avide-beaked Boatbill and Spoonbills ; the Demoiselles, so named from 
their graceful and elegant motions. Cases 124, 125. The Storks 
and Ibises ; the Ethiopian Ibis, the mummies of which were preserved 
by the ancient Egyptians. Cases 127-129. The Godwits, Sand- 
pipers, and Phalaropes ; the Avocets, with their very long legs, and up- 
turned or recurved bills , the long-legged Plover, which seems to walk 
on stilts. Case 130. The Snipes, which feed among marshes, the 
Painted Snipes of India. Case 131. The Jacanas, with their long 
toes, enabling them to walk with ease over the floating leaves of water 
plants ; the Screamers of South America, with spines on their 
shoulders, used in killing snakes. Case 132. The Rails. Cases 
133, 134. The Gallinules, which live on the borders of rivers and 
lakes ; one of the most notable, as it is the rarest, is the Notornis 
Mantelli of New Zealand, now nearly extinct. Case 134. The Fin- 
foots of South America and West Africa have curiously lobed feet, and 
dive like the Grebes. 
Cases 135-166. The Web-footed Birds. Case 135. The Fla- 
mingos, the longest-legged birds of the group. Ancient epicures re- 
garded tbeir tongues as a most luxurious dish. Cases 136-139. 
The Geese, such as the Spur-winged Geese, so named from the spurs 
with which the wings are armed ; the Geese feed chiefly on grass 
and other herbage. Cases 140-142. The Swans, with their long 
and graceful neck ; the Black Swans of Australia, giving the names to 
one of the districts ; the Black-necked Swan of Chili. Cases 143- 
146. The Ducks : some of these, as the Sea Ducks, have a fin to 
the hind toe ; the spinous-tailed Ducks are found in the warmer parts 
of the world ; the pink-headed is a rare and curious species. Case 
150. The Mergansers, natives of the arctic regions, where they 
feed on fish. Cases 151, 152. The Divers, so named from their 
powers of diving, greatly owing to the backward position of their legs ; 
the Grebes have often curious tufts of feathers about their heads. 
Cases 153, 154. The Auks, oceanic birds, found within the Arctic 
and Antarctic Circles, where they dive after fish and Crustacea, on 
which they feed; they use their scaled wings as oars. Case 154. 
The Sea Parrots and Guillemots, building on the ledges of precipices 
overhanging the sea. Cases 155-1 59. The Gulls and Petrels, marine 
birds, feeding on fish and other marine creatures; the Albatross has the 
greatest extent of wing of any bird, and has the most wonderful powers 
of sustained flight. The Stormy Petrels seem to run on the water^ 
and often feed in the wake of ships. Case 1 60. The Terns or Sea 
Swallows, birds of great powers of wing ; the Skimmers have curious 
razor-like bills, the upper mandible being the shortest. Case 161. 
The Tropic Birds, so called from their homes being in tropical climates. 
The Darters or Snake liirds have small heads and long necks ; they 
dart into rivers, and spear fish with their sharp bills. Cases 162- 
166. The Pelicans, Cormorants, and Frigate Birds, some of which 
have large pouches under their beaks, in which they hold the fish 
which they catch. 
