. Natural history. Zoology. A VES—ORDER ARDEIFORMES. The Shoe-billed Fig. 42.—Thb Shoe-bulkd Stosk (Bal(Bniceps rex). region, but instead of being widely distributed like the Hammer-head the Shoe-bill is confined to the districts of the Upper Nile. The shape of the bill, with its dertral hook, is sufficient to distinguish Lialceniccps at a, glance. The genus further possesses two powder-down patches like the Herons, but differs from the latter birds in the absence of any pectination on the middle claw, and in its Stork-like furcula. Taking all points of its
. Natural history. Zoology. A VES—ORDER ARDEIFORMES. The Shoe-billed Fig. 42.—Thb Shoe-bulkd Stosk (Bal(Bniceps rex). region, but instead of being widely distributed like the Hammer-head the Shoe-bill is confined to the districts of the Upper Nile. The shape of the bill, with its dertral hook, is sufficient to distinguish Lialceniccps at a, glance. The genus further possesses two powder-down patches like the Herons, but differs from the latter birds in the absence of any pectination on the middle claw, and in its Stork-like furcula. Taking all points of its anatomy into consideration, the balance of evidence seems to be in favour of the alliance of Bakeniceps with the Storks. Von fleuglin considered the " Abu-maskup " or Shoe-bill to be a kind of Marabou, and an inhabitant of the Upper Nile regions, such as the Saraf River, the Lower Kir district, and the Gazelle River, and the countries lying between. It is everywhere a shy bird and decidedly scarce, its habits being Stork-like, standing on one leg and feeding on fish. Its only note seems to be a snapping of the bill like that of a Stork. One of the chief differences between the Herons and the Storks is the pectinated claw on the third or middle toe, and another difference is the posi- tion of the hind toe, which, in the Storks, is elevated above the level of the other toes, and in the Herons is on the same level as the latter. The median process on the furcula has been already alluded to. The Herodioties may be divided roughly into the Herons and the Bitterns. The former have twelve tail-feathers, and the latter ten. The true Herons comprise a large number of genera, all more of less closely connected together, but differing in certain constant peculiarities, which warrant their being separated as genera, or, at least, as sub-genera. Thus the Purple Heron of Europe is remarkable for its long middle toe, which is as long as the tarsus, and hence it is known as Phoyx
Size: 1219px × 2050px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorly, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
