HIMANTOPUS. STILT-SHANK. 311 



the groove thus formed being extremely narrow, that of the 

 lower deeper. Tongue scarcely half the length of the bill, 

 very slender, tapering, emarginate and papillate at the base, 

 pointed. (Esophagus narrow : proventriculus oblong. Sto- 

 mach elliptical, with its lateral muscles moderately thick, 

 the epithelium dense, and longitudinally rugous. Intestine 

 of moderate length, narrow ; cceca rather short, very narrow. 



Eyes rather small. Nostrils rather long, linear, sub- 

 basal, pervious. Aperture of ear roundish, rather large. Legs 

 extremely long and slender ; tibia bare for more than half 

 its length ; tarsus very slender, compressed, reticulated with 

 elongated hexagonal scales ; toes of moderate length, slender, 

 scutellate unless toward the base ; no hind toe ; the outer a 

 little longer than the inner, and connected with the third by 

 a web extending nearly to the second joint, and forming 

 narrow margins to the two toes ; the inner with a very 

 slight web. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, obtuse. 



Plumage of the head, neck, and lower parts very soft and 

 blended ; of the back and wings compact. Wings extremely 

 long, exceeding the tail, narrow, acute, of twenty-eight 

 quills ; the primaries tapering, the first longest, the rest 

 rapidly graduated ; the secondaries rather narrow, incurved, 

 some of the inner tapering and elongated. Tail short, nearly 

 even, of twelve feathers. 



These birds entirely resemble the Totani in their habits, 

 fly with rapidity, are remarkably vociferous, walk and run 

 with celerity, vibrate their body when standing, search the 

 mud and sands for worms, insects, Crustacea, and mollusca, 

 often wading far into the water. The eggs are four, piri- 

 form, and spotted. The males are larger than the females, 

 as in all the Limosinse. 



It is stated by Montagu, that " six of this species were 

 shot out of seven in a flock, in the month of April, at the 

 verge of a lake not very far distant from Farnham, in 

 Surrey. One of them was preserved by the late Rev. Mr. 

 White, of Selborne," and was seen by Montagu with Mr. 

 W T hite, of Fleet Street. It was " wholly white, except the 

 wings and back as far as the rump, which were black." 



