GRUINiE. 
Scops  Mcehring.* 
Bill  the  length  of  the  head,  straight,  the  sides  compressed,  the  apical  part  of  the  culmen  slightly 
curved  to  the  tips,  which  are  equal  in  length,  and  the  gonys  long  and  slightly  advancing  upwards ; 
nostrils  placed  in  a nasal  groove,  which  reaches  beyond  the  middle  of  the  bill,  with  the  opening  ^ 
longitudinal  slit.  Wings  long,  with  the  third  and  fourth  quills  the  longest,  and  the  tertials  lengthen®^ 
and  pendent.  Tail  rather  short.  Tarsi  long  and  slender,  and  covered  with  transverse  scales. 
moderate,  slender,  and  covered  above  with  transverse  scales,  the  lateral  toes  equal,  the  outer  united  3-*' 
the  base  to  the  middle  toe,  and  the  hind  toe  very  short  and  elevated. 
These  birds  migrate,  according  to  the  season  of  the  year,  from  the  eastern  parts  of  Europe  to  the  south  coast  of  d'® 
Black  Sea  and  the  Caspian.  They  are  most  commonly  found  in  various  parts  of  the  continent  of  Africa,  India, 
occasionally  on  the  islands  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea ; where  they  are  usually  observed  in  flocks  on  the  plains,  but  th®/ 
prefer  inundated  and  marshy  situations  after  heavy  rains.  Their  food  is  dependent  on  circumstances;  it  cousk*^ 
principally  of  vegetables,  but  occasionally  of  insects,  mollusca,  and  also  fish,  which  they  catch  with  great  dexterity- 
1.  S.  virgo  (Linn.)  PI.  enl.  24-1.  — Grus  numidica  Briss. 
Edwards's  Birds,  pi.  134. 
2.  S.  vipio  (Pall.)  Zoogr.  ii.  111. 
3.  S.  paradisea  (Licht.)  Cat.  Dupl.  Berl.  Mus.  1793.  p.  28. 
Anthropoides  Stanleyanus  Vigors,  Zool.  Journ.  ii.  234.  pi-  ^ 
trapteryx  capensis  Thunb.  Stockh.  Vetensk.  Acad.  Hand.  ISH-P'^ 
t.  viii. ; Grus  capensis  Less, 
Balearica  Briss.'f 
Bill  shorter  than  the  head,  strong,  thick,  the  basal  half  of  the  culmen  flattened,  and  the  apical 
slightly  arched  and  gibbose,  the  sides  compressed,  the  gonys  of  the  under  mandible  short,  and  advauci^  o 
upwards ; the  nostrils  placed  in  a broad  nasal  groove  which  reaches  to  the  middle  of  the  bill,  with  *1^^ 
opening  anterior,  large,  and  oval.  Wings  lengthened,  ivith  the  third  quill  the  longest,  and  the  tei’ti^l® 
broad  and  reaching  to  the  end  of  the  tail.  Tail  short  and  even.  Tursf  lengthened,  slender,  and  covd® 
in  front  with  transverse  scales,  and  posteriorly  with  small  subquadrate  scales.  Toes  moderate,  sleo'l^''’ 
and  covered  above  with  transverse  scales ; the  lateral  toes  unequal,  and  the  hind  toe  very  short 
elevated.  The  cheeks  naked,  the  base  of  the  bill  and  the  throat  beneath  wattled. 
The  continent  of  Africa,  and  occasionally  the  Islands  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  are  the  peculiar  countries  of 
birds,  where  they  are  supposed  to  migrate  from  place  to  place,  mostly  frequenting  swampy  situations  where  they  ^ 
to  subsist  chiefly  on  fish,  worms,  and  insects.  At  other  times,  however,  they  seek  the  plains,  and  vegetable  subst«”J^® 
form  their  principal  food.  Their  flight  is  elevated,  powerful,  and  capable  of  being  sustained  for  a'’very  con3i<J®''‘‘  ’ 
time  they  walk  with  a slow  and  somewhat  stately  gait,  and  in  running  they  expand  their  wings,  and  are  assisted  W 
tlie  wind,  which  enables  them  to  fly  from  danger  witli  great  speed. 
pi.  ei'l 
1.  B.  pavonina  (Linn.)  Edwards’s  Birds,  pi.  192.,  Vieill.  Gal. 
des  Ois.  t.  257. 
2.  B.  regidorum  (Licht.) 
265. 
Cat.  Dupl.  Berl.  Mus.  \19^> 
(1818)*^^'**'*''*^^  Moehring  {Genera  Avium)  in  1752.  It  is  coequal  with  Vieillot’s  Anthropoides  (1816)  and  Thunberg’s  Teh 
t Established  by  Brisson  {Ornithologie)  in  176O  ; but,  in  1752,  Moehring  had  proposed  for  this  division  the  name  of  Ciconia, 
Linnajus  natl  previously  employed  for  another  genus. 
July,  1845. 
