British Birds in their Haunts Part 5

ORDER COLUMBae (PIGEONS AND DOVES)

Bill swollen at tip, convex; the upper mandible covered at the base with a soft membrane in which lie the nostrils, with a valve over them; tarsi covered fore and rear with hexagonal scales.

The birds of this order have considerable powers of flight, and perch freely on trees or rocks. Their food consists princ.i.p.ally of grain, seeds, and the leaves of herbaceous plants. The young are fed on a milky fluid secreted in the crop of the old birds.

FAMILY COLUMBIDae

Tail with twelve feathers; hind toe with the skin prominently expanded on the sides.

92. COLUMBA (Wood-pigeon, Stock-dove, Rock-dove). Bill moderate, straight at base, compressed, point deflected; tail nearly even; first primary much larger than _sixth_. _Page 203_

93. TURTUR (Turtle-dove). Bill rather slender, tip of upper mandible gently deflected, that of lower scarcely exhibiting the appearance of an angle; tail rather long, graduated. _Page 209_

ORDER PTEROCLETES

FAMILY PTEROCLIDae

94. SYRRHAPTES (Sand-grouse). Bill small, gradually decurved; nostrils basal, hidden; wings long, pointed, first primary largest; tail of sixteen feathers, cuneate, central pair long; tarsi short, strong; feathered to toes; three toes, all in front; hallux obsolete; soles rugose; claws broad and obtuse. _Page 211_

ORDER GALLINae

Bill short and stout; culmen arched, and overhanging the mandible.

FAMILY TETRAONIDae

95. TETRAO (Black Grouse, Capercaillie). Bill strong; eyebrows naked, adorned with scarlet papillae; tarsi feathered, without spurs; front toes naked, with pectinated margins; hind toe larger than the nail.

_Page 212_

96. LAGoPUS (Red Grouse, Ptarmigan). Front toes feathered, nearly smooth at the margins; hind toe shorter than the nail; in other respects like the last. _Page 215_

FAMILY PHASIANIDae

Nostrils never hidden by feathers; toes never pectinated.

97. PHASIa.n.u.s (Pheasant). Cheeks naked, adorned with scarlet papillae; tail very long, of eighteen feathers. _Page 219_

98. PERDIX (Partridge). Bill strong; orbits naked; tarsus naked, male with a k.n.o.b on the tarsus behind; tail of sixteen feathers, short, bent down. _Page 222_

99. CaCCABIS (Red-legged Partridge). Tail of fourteen feathers; tarsi armed with blunt spurs in male. _Page 225_

100. COTuRNIX (Quail). Bill slender; orbits feathered; wings with the first primary longest; tail very short; almost concealed by the tail-coverts. _Page 226_

ORDER FULICARIae (RAILS AND COOTS)

FAMILY RALLIDae (RAILS)

101. CREX (Corn-crake). Bill shorter than the head, thick at the base, compressed, pointed; front toes entirely divided, not margined; second and third primaries longest. Tail pointed, rectrices narrow.

_Page 228_

102. PORZANA (Spotted and Little Crakes). Bill shorter than head; wings shorter than in Crex; second quill longest; secondaries shorter than primaries by length of hind toe and claw. _Page 229_

103. RALLUS (Water-rail). Bill longer than head; wings moderate, third and fourth quills longest. _Page 230_

104. GALLiNULA (Moor-hen). Bill shorter than the head, stout, straight, compressed; upper mandible expanding at the base and forming a disc on the forehead; toes entirely divided, bordered by a narrow entire membrane, middle toe longer than tarsus. _Page 231_

105. FuLICA (Coot). Bill shorter than the head, straight, robust, convex above, much compressed; upper mandible dilated at the base, and forming a naked patch on the forehead; all the toes united at the base, and bordered by a scalloped membrane. _Page 233_

ORDER ALECTORIDES

Angle of the mandible always truncated, hind toe generally raised above level of others.

FAMILY GRUIDae

Nasal depression more than half as long as maxilla; rectrices twelve.

106. GRUS (Crane). Upper mandible deeply channelled; nostrils medial; wings moderate; third primary longest. _Page 234_

FAMILY OTIDIDae (BUSTARDS)

Bill flattened and obtuse; no hind toe; tarsi unarmed; wings very short; rectrices sixteen to twenty.

107. OTIS (Bustard). Legs long, naked above the knee; wings moderate, hind quill longest. _Page 236_