NATURAL HISTORY. 
39 
GALLERY.] 
are always found about the mouths of rivers : their food consists of worms, 
insects, &c., and most of them are nocturnal feeders. The Turnstones 
( Cinclince , Case 114) have a short bill, thick at the base, and narrowing 
gradually to the point, which is truncated, and the nasal groove reaches 
half its length ; the wings lengthened and pointed; their tarsi rather 
short, with four toes. These birds feed on small shells and Crustacea, 
which they find by turning over the stones with their bills. The Oyster- 
catchers ( Hcematopince , Case 114). The bill of these birds is longer 
than the head, broad at the base, and the anterior half compressed, with 
the tips truncated; their wings moderate; the legs moderate and scutel- 
lated, with three toes united at their base by a membrane. They seek 
their food on the sea-shore : it consists of shell-fish, which they are en¬ 
abled to wrench out by inserting their bill between the valves, also on 
other marine productions. 
The family of Cranes ( Gruim:, Cases 115—117) have a rather short 
hind toe, much higher on the leg than the front ones, and a strong, 
hard, rather long beak, with the nostrils in the front of a broad groove. 
The Balearic Cranes ( Balearica) have large open nostrils, naked cheeks, 
and throat-wattles. The Cariama ( Cariama) and Trumpeters (Pso- 
pkia) have short beaks ; the former has much the air of a raptorial bird, 
and the latter is peculiar for the metallic brilliancy of its plumage. 
These birds inhabit Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America; 
they are found on the borders of rivers and inundated places, seeking for 
small fishes and reptiles; others feed on grain, &c. Their voice is loud 
and harsh, especially that of the Trumpeter. 
The family of Herons ( Ardetm:, Cases 117—126) have a hard elon¬ 
gated bill, and linear nostrils, covered with a thin skin, situated at the 
base of an indistinct, narrow groove. In some the hind toe is low down, 
and the middle claw toothed on the edge. The Herons ( Ardeince, 
Cases 117—123) have the bill lengthened, generally sharp-pointed, 
with the gape extending beneath the eyes, and the nasal groove pro¬ 
longed nearly to the tip. Others have the bill much depressed; the 
legs of all are lengthened and scutellated, with the hind toe nearly on 
the same plane with the others. They are found wading along the banks 
of rivers or living in marshy places, which they search for fish, worms, 
reptiles, and insects. The Storks ( Ciconince , Case 124) have large 
straight bills, without any groove for the exposed nostrils; their legs are 
lengthened and reticulated, with the fore toes palmated at their base, and 
the hind toe placed higher. They frequent the retired marshes and 
borders of pools in various parts of the world, where they prey on rep¬ 
tiles and small fish. Many of these birds have a tuft of very soft feathers 
on the under side of the wings; the Adjutants furnish the celebrated 
Comacauly feathers. The Ibises ( Ibicince , Case 126) have long 
arched bills with the euimen rounded; the nostrils pierced in a groove, 
and covered by a membrane ; their wings are long, their legs moderate, 
with a small portion of the tibia naked, and the outer toe united at its 
base by a membrane. They inhabit the inundated places of various 
parts of the world, seeking for frogs, snails, and worms, &c. The 
Godwits ( Limosince , Case 128) have a long bill, with the culmen 
rounded and the tip of the upper mandible extending a little beyond 
that of the lower one, the nasal groove reaching three-fourths of the 
length of the bill. They are found migrating, according to the season, 
