202 
BIRDS—ORDERS OF BIRDS. 
abbreviated. Tail short and few-feathered. Head narrow, conico-elongated, 
gradually contracting to the large, stout base of the bill. Gape of the bill 
deeply fissured: tip usually acute; tomia hard and cutting. Bill conico- 
elongate, always longer than the he2d, stout and firm. Nostrils small, placed 
high up, with entire bony and horny, or only slightly membranous, surround- 
ings. Pterylosis nearly peculiar in the presence, almost throughout the group, 
of powder-down tracts, rarely found elsewhere; pteryle very narrow. Palate 
desmognathous. Carotids double. Altricial. 
I. ALECTORIDES. Tibie naked below. Neck, legs, and feet much as in the last 
group, but hallux reduced and obviously elevated, with small claw, the result- 
ing foot cursorial (natatorial and lobate in Fulica). Wings and tail commonly 
asin Herediones. Head less narrowed. and conic than in the last, fully feath- 
ered or with extensive baldness (not with definite nakedness of loral and orb- 
ital regions). Bill of various shape, usually lengthened and obtuse, never ex- 
tensively membranous. Rictus moderate. Nostrils lower than in Herediones. 
Pterylosis not peculiar. Palate schizognathous. Carotids double. Nature 
precocial and ptilopedic. 
J. LAMELLIROSTRES. Feet palmate; tibia feathered (except Phenicopterus). 
Legs near the centre of equilibrium of the body, its axis horizontal in walk- 
ing; not lengthened except in Phwnicopterus. Knee joint rarely exserted be- 
yond general skin of the body. Wings moderate, reaching, when folded, to, 
but not beyond, the usually short and rounded (exceptionally long and cune- 
ate) tail. Feet tetradactyle (except sometimes in Phenicopterus); hallux re- 
duced, elevated and free, often independently lobate. Bill lammellate, i.e., 
furnished along each commissural edge with a regular series of mutually 
adapted laminze or tooth-like processes, with which correspond certain lan- 
cinate processes of the fleshy tongue, which ends in a horny tip. Bill large, 
thick, high at base, depressed towards the end, membranous to the broad, ob- 
tuse tip, which is occupied by a horny nail of variousshape. Nostrils patent, 
never tubular, nasal fosse slight. No gular pouch. Plamage dense, to resist 
water. Eyes very small. Head high, compressed, with lengthened, sloping 
frontal region. Palate desmognathous. Reproduction precocial; young ptilo- 
pedic. Eggs numerous. Carotids double. Sternum single notched. 
K. STEGANOPODES. Feet totipalmate; hallux lengthened,.nearly incumbent, 
semilateral, completely united with the second toe by a full web. Tibize 
feathered; position of legs with reference to axis of bod+ variable, but gen- 
erally far posterior; knee joint not free. Wings and tail variable. Bill of 
very variable shape, never lamellate, wholly corneous; its tomize often ser- 
rate; external nares very small or finally abortive. A prominent gular pouch. 
Tarsi reticulate. Sternum entirely or nearly so; furculum confluent with its 
keel. Carotids double. Palate highly desmognathous. Reproduction altri- 
cial; young psilopeedic or ptilopedic. Eggs three or fewer. 
L. LONGIPENNES. Feet palmate. Tibize feathered. Legs at or near the center 
of equilibrium, affording horizontal position of axis of body in walking. 
Knee scarcely buried in common integument; tibia sometimes with a long 
apophysis. Hallux elevated, free, functionless; very small, rudimentary or 
wanting. Rostrum of variable shape, usually compressed and straight to the 
hooked end, sometimes entirely straight and acute, commonly lengthened, 
always corneous, without serration or true lamells. Nostrils of various 
