492 Mr. N. A. Vigors on the Natural Affinities 



Reciirvirostra of Linn?eus appears to come naturally among these 

 groups, and to be intermediate between Totanus and Limosa ; with 

 the former of these it is connected by the structure of the foot, 

 the Totanus semipalmatus of M. Temminck almost immediately 

 meeting it ; while with some species of the latter it is equally asso- 

 ciated by the turned-up bill. The latter genus, Limosa, unites 

 itself to the true Scolopax, Auct., by the flexible nature of its bill ; 

 a character which prevails through the remaining groups of the 

 family. Scolopax leads to Tringa, Linn., through the medium of 

 Rht/nchoea, Cuv., which approaches the whole of the latter genus 

 by its shorter bill, and agrees in particular with some species of 

 it which have that member feebly curved, by the slight curvature 

 observable at the extremity of its own. Among the groups which 

 originally composed the Tringa of Linnaeus, the Phalaropus of 

 M- Brisson may be distinguished, which, by its lobated feet and 

 habits of swimming, stands at the extremity of the present groups, 

 and leads the way to the succeeding family of Rallida. The 

 present family is united at its extremes, and the circular succes- 

 sion of affinities between its various groups is preserved, by 

 means of some species of Tringa, whose curved bills lead back 

 to Numenius, from which we started. The Tringa platyi'hyncha 

 of M. Temminck, the same as the Numenius pygmaus of the 

 '* Index Ornithologicus," completes the circle. 

 i! The family of Rallidce, composed of the Linnean genus Parra, 

 with its congeners Palamedea, Linn., and C/iauna, 111., together 

 with Rallus, Linn., and Fulica, Linn.*, corresponds with the 

 Macrodactyles of M. Cuvier. These groups are distinguished 

 from the last family by their stronger bill and the greater length 

 of the hind toe. They are also separated from the other birds 

 of the order, and united among themselves by the shape of their 



* I conjecture that Ckionis, Forst. comes into this family ; but I know too little of 

 the group to speak with any confidence. 



body, 



