Suborder CICONIAE.
The Storks differ, among other characters, from the Ibises in being holorhinal instead of schizorhinal, whilst from the Ardeae they are distinguished principally in having no intrinsic muscles to the syrinx. The mandible is not produced beyond its articulation with the quadrate; there is only one incision on each side of the posterior border of the sternum and the cervical vertebrae number seventeen; the ambiens muscle when present is always small and sometimes altogether wanting; the accessory femoro-caudal is absent, whilst the femoro-caudal is sometimes present, sometimes wanting; the dorsal bare tract does not extend to the neck; there are no powder-down patches; the middle toe is not pectinated.
Having no tracheo-bronchial muscles to the syrinx Storks are destitute of all voice, though some are said to be able to make a kind of grunting noise.
The Ciconiae contain one Indian family, which is cosmopolitan.
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