THE HERONS. 
65 
the herons, storks, and ibises. 
ORDER ARDEIFORMES. 
These birds are very closely allied, as any naturalist must 
Rdniit. They are all wading birds, and were classed of old 
in the Order Grallatores. In all of them the palate is desniog- 
nathous, or “ bridged,” and there are no basipterygoid processes, 
i he nestlings are downy, and the young are fed in the nest by 
the parents for some time after they are hatched. 
hour families are represented, the Herons {Ardeidii), the 
^hoe-bills {Baketiicipiiidce) of the Upper Nile, the Harnmer- 
^ds (Scopida) of Africa generally, and the Storks [Ciconiidce). 
e Ibises, which have a schizorhinal nostril, will be treated 
01 farther on. 
THE HERONS. SUB-ORDER ARDE^. 
In these the hind-toe is on the same plane as the other toes, 
and is not elevated above their level, as in the Storks. 
the true herons. FAMILY ARDEID^. 
1 ■ Hnrons constitute one of the most natural families of 
nds, and the various genera are well marked. The True 
erons have a long thin bill with a distinct ridge, but no hook 
but u ^ distinct web near the base, 
toe ^O K scarcely perceptible at the base of the inner 
“ breast are some curious downy patches, called 
niHeH . and the middle claw is combed, or “ pecti- 
Night-Iar^^ Barn-Owl (Vol. ii. p. io6) or of the 
bills of the Shoe-bill (Ba/^niceps) 
of Hernnc • ^ {Scopus) distinguish these from other families 
Shoe-hill h ^‘Ibition to other remarkable characters. The 
ShnA-Kui I aodition to other remarkable characters. 
s ave powder-down patches, the Hammer-heads 
II 
none. 
♦ 
