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PHALAROPUS. PHALAROPE. 



The only species of this genus known to me is a small 

 bird about the size of the Purple Sandpiper, and which at 

 first sight might be taken for a Tringa, although its feet 

 differ so much as to refer it to a separate genus. The body 

 is rather slender ; the neck of moderate length ; the head 

 small, compressed, with the forehead elevated and rounded. 



Bill rather longer than the head, almost straight, slender, 

 sub-cylindrical ; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, 

 the ridge flattened, the nasal groove extending to two-thirds, 

 the breadth considerably enlarged toward the end, the tip 

 obtuse ; lower mandible with the angle long and extremely 

 narrow, the sides erect and grooved, the tip rather acute. 



Eyes rather small ; nostrils basal, oblong, with an elevated 

 margin ; aperture of ear roundish, and of moderate size. 

 Feet short, extremely slender ; tibia bare to a considerable 

 extent ; tarsus short, much compressed, anteriorly scutellate, 

 posteriorly thin-edged ; the first toe diminutive ; the anterior 

 toes of moderate length, the second slightly shorter than the 

 fourth, which is not much exceeded by the third ; the three 

 connected at the base by webs, and laterally margined with 

 a lobed membrane. Claws very small, arched, compressed, 

 rather sharp. 



Plumage full, soft, blended ; the feathers oblong, and 

 much curved. Wings long, pointed, the first and second 

 quills longest ; secondaries fifteen, rather short, incurved, 

 the inner very long and tapering. Tail short or of moderate 

 length, rounded, of twelve feathers. 



The dense plumage, impervious to water, and the ex- 

 panded margins of the toes, indicate an affinity to the 

 aquatic birds. Phalaropus may, in fact, be said to be a 

 Tringa adapted for swimming. Another genus of small 

 birds, having their toes similarly webbed and lobed, seems 

 to approach more to the Totaninse than the Tringinse, they 

 being of a more slender form, with the bill much attenuated. 



