332 
COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 
Fig. 313. —Heron (Ardea). 
The legs are long or strong, and the knee is free from the 
body. The hind 
toe, when present, 
is small and ele¬ 
vated. 
5. Grdilatores, or 
W ad ers.—These 
are readily distin¬ 
guished by their 
long and bare legs. 
Generally, also, the 
toes, neck, and bill 
are of proportion¬ 
ate length, and the 
tail short. They 
,i' feed on small ani¬ 
mals, and, with a 
few exceptions,fre¬ 
quent the banks of rivers. In flying, their legs are 
stretched out behind, while in most other Birds they are 
folded under the body. 
Such are the Rails, 
Cranes, Herons, Storks, 
Ibises, Stilts, Snipes, 
Sandpipers, and Plov¬ 
ers. 
6. Basores , or Scratch¬ 
es.— As a rule, this 
order, so valuable to 
Man, is characterized 
by a short, arched bill; 
short and concave 
wings, unfitted for pro- Pl0 . 814 ._ RalIt or Marall 
Hen (Rallus elegants). 
t ra C t e d flight; stout United States. 
legs, of medium length; and four toes, the three in front 
