ROOM XIII.] NATURAL HISTORY. 79 
Cock, Fire-backed Pheasant, and Pencilled Pheasant. In 
Cases 46 and 47, the Peacock, both wild and domesticated. 
In Cases 48 and 49, various Pheasants, such as Reeves’s 
Pheasant, from China; Nepaul and Wallick’s Pheasants 
from the Himalaya Mountains, also the wild Turkey from 
North America. In Case 50, the Horned Pheasant from 
the Himalaya Mountains, also the Chinese Horned Phea¬ 
sant from China ; the Impeyan Pheasant; and the Argus 
Pheasant from Singapore. 
In Cases 51 and 52 are several species of Partridge, 
Quails, and Tinamus; and also NigelFs Grous- 
Pheasant, from the Himalaya Mountains; and in Cases 
53 and 54, a great variety of Grous. With these is asso¬ 
ciated the new genus Thinocorus, which greatly resembles 
them in its plumage, whilst it is also closely allied to the 
Sheathbill, (Case 51,) having the base of the bill covered 
by a sort of sheath, as' in that bird, and resembling it in 
its habits of life. Cuvier has placed the Sheathbill at the 
end of his fifth order, les Echassiers, or Waders (Gralios, 
Linn.) ; but it appears better to place it here, as the gene¬ 
ral form of its bill and feet rather resembles that of the 
Grous, than of any other tribe—whilst the Thinocorus ap¬ 
pears like a connecting link between the two. In Cases 
55 and 56 are several species of Pigeons; and in Case 57, 
specimens of the Menura and Curassow. 
Cases 58—60 contain the Running Birds, ( Cursores ,) 
peculiar for their short wings and long legs, and inhabit¬ 
ing plains—as the Ostrich and Bustard. Here also is the 
foot of the Dodo, and a cast of the head of that extraordi¬ 
nary bird (see p. 82),—also the Courser and Pratincole. 
The Wading Birds generally have long wings, and fly 
well; many of them make periodical migrations, and are 
thus distributed over great part of the globe; they usually 
extend their legs behind them when they fly. 
The family of Storks (Case 61) have larger and more 
exposed nostrils than the Herons, the hind toe is placed 
rather higher, and the middle claw entire. The form and 
size of the bill vary greatly in the birds of this family. In 
the Adjutants it is large, and furnished with a sort of 
throat-pouch; in the Wood Ibis it is slightly curved, and 
in the Spoonbill the extremity of the beak is flat and 
rounded. Many of these birds have a tuft of very soft 
