14 
ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS. 
[UPPER 
weak and quite useless for the purpose of flight, they were armed at 
the wrist joint with a large bony excrescence (at least in the male), 
and these birds appear to have used them in their combats very much 
in the same manner as our common pigeons. The skeletons were dis- 
covered by one of the naturalists accompanying the Transit of Venus 
Expedition in 1874, and presented by the Royal Society of London. 
The case on the left side of the Dodo contains the remains of a 
gigantic flightless Goose from New Zealand (Cnemiornis calcitrans). 
Like the pigeons of the Muscarenes, it became extinct within a 
very recent period. 
Gases 110, 111, 112. The Bustards and Coursers, quick 
running birds, inhabitants of the barren parts of Europe, Africa, 
Asia, and Australia, where they feed on grain, herbage, worms, and 
insects. Cases 113-134. The Wading Birds, generally provided 
with long legs. Cases 113, 114. The Plovers, Turnstones, and 
Oyster-catchers ; the last are so named because they are said to open 
bivalve shells with their bills, to feed on the contents. Case 114. 
The Trumpeters of South America ; one of these is employed to guard 
poultry from the attacks of hawks. Cases 115-117. The Cranes found 
on the borders of rivers and marshes, feeding on insects and seeds ; 
the fine-crested Egrets, with their delicate white plumes ; the Bitterns 
and Night-Herons ; the wide-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 mum- 
mies of which were preserved by the ancient Egyptians ; the Balceni- 
ceps of the Upper Nile, which is enabled by its powerful beak to feed 
on hard-scaled fishes and tortoises. Cases 127-129. The Godwits, 
Sandpipers, and Phalaropes ; the Avocets, with their very long legs, 
and upturned 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 spurs on their 
shoulders. Case 132. The Kails. Cases 133, 134. The Gallinules, 
which live on the borders of rivers and lakes, and are excellent 
swimmers. In a glazed case, one of the most notable, as it is the 
rarest, is the Notornis mantelli of New Zealand, now r nearly extinct. 
Case 134. The Einfoots 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 their 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 
;uid othei? herbage. Cases 140, 141. The Swans, with their long and 
graceful nock ; the Black Swans of Australia, giving the names to one 
of the districts; the Black-necked Swan of Chili, acclimatized in 
Europe. Cases 142-148. The Ducks: some of these, as the Sea 
Duckft, Cases 146-148, have a fin to the hind toe ; the spinous-tailed 
