294 VERTEBRATE ANIMALS. 
(Ardetde), Storks (Ciconine), Snipes (Scolopactde), Sandpipers 
(Tringide), Curlews (Vumenius), Plovers (Charadritde), and 
Bustards (Ofd@@). | 
The Rails are more or less terrestrial in their habits, but 
inhabit marshes and fens. Good examples are the Marsh 
Hen (Rallus elegans) and the Virginia Rail (2. Virginianus) 
of North America, and the Corn Crake (Crex pratensis) of 
Europe. The Water-hens (Ga//nula) and Coots (flica) are 
aquatic or semi-aquatic, swimming and diving with the great- 
est ease. The Cranes aré in the main vegetable-feeders, and 
inhabit dry plains. The Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, and Night 
Herons, form a beautiful family of wading birds, represented 
in almost every portion of the known world. Nearly allied to 
these are the brilliantly-coloured Ibises (Zand¢alingz), which 
inhabit all warm countries. The Ciconzne are all large birds, 
and comprise the Storks and Adjutant, while the Spoon- 
bills are mainly separated from them by their flattened, spoon- 
shaped bill. The Scolofacide, comprising the Snipes and 
Woodcocks, the 7rimgide (or Sandpipers), the Curlews (/Vu- 
mentus), and various other allied birds, are distinguished from 
the preceding by the possession of a long, soft, slender bill, 
which is used in probing the ground for food. Inthe Chara- 
driide are comprised the Oyster-catchers, Turnstones, Lap- 
wings, Plovers, Thick-knee, and many other familiar birds, 
Lastly, the O#de comprise only the Bustards, which are 
exclusively confined to the Old World, and make a decided 
approach to the Cursorial Birds. 
ORDER III. CURSORES——The Running or Cursorial Birds, 
comprising the Ostrich, Cassowary, Emeu, Rhea, and Apteryx, 
are characterised by the rudimentary condition of the wings, 
which are useless as organs of flight, and by the compensating 
length and strength of the legs. In accordance with this con- 
dition of the limbs, the bones have few air-cells, and the breast- 
bone is destitute of the prominent ridge or keel to which the great 
muscles of the wings are attached (fig. 158, B). The two sides 
of the pelvis are united together below in the Ostrich, and in all 
the pelvic arch has great strength and stability. The legs are 
extremely powerful, and the hinder toe is wanting in all except 
the Afzeryx, in which it is present in a rudimentary condition. 
The front toes (fig. 158, A) are either two or three in number, 
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