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(EDICNEMUS. THICK-KNEE. 



The birds which constitute this genus have the appear- 

 ance of large Plovers, but are at once distinguishable from 

 the species of the genera Pluvialis and Charadrius, by the 

 greater size of the bill, and especially by the extent to which 

 it opens. In one species that organ is so large as to give the 

 bird somewhat of the appearance of a Heron. This extension 

 of the gape-line might induce us to suspect that the (Edicnemi 

 belong to the family of Otinse, but in other respects their bill 

 more closely resembles that of the Pluvialinse. The genus 

 in fact forms the transition from the one family to the other, 

 and has been referred by authors to both. The body is ovate 

 and rather full ; the neck rather long ; the head rather large, 

 compressed, and much rounded above. 



Bill generally longer than the head, stout, straight, about 

 the same height and breadth at the base, compressed in the 

 rest of its extent, and pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal 

 line straight to near the end, when it is gently deflected, the 

 ridge prominent, convex, generally narrowed, the nasal sinus 

 large, covered with a bare membrane, the sides sloping and 

 little convex, unless toward the basal margin, the edges in- 

 flected, the tip rather acute ; lower mandible with the angle 

 rather long and of moderate width, the lower outline of the 

 crura straight or a little deflected, the dorsal line ascending 

 and somewhat convex, the edges inflected, the tip acute ; the 

 gape-line commencing under the eyes, at first ascending, 

 then straight, or slightly recurvate. 



Nostrils sub-basal or medial, linear, direct, at the lower 

 edge of the nasal membrane. Eyes large, with the eyelids 

 partially bare. Aperture of ear large. Legs long and rather 



