314 HIMANTOPUS MELANOPTERUS. 



is dark grey, as are some of its upper coverts, the outer tail 

 feathers nearly white. 



Length to end of tail 14 inches ; bill along the ridge 

 2-jV, along the edge of lower mandible 2^ ; wing from 

 flexure 9| ; tail 3-j% ; bare part of tibia 3^ ; tarsus 4-1^ ; 

 second toe 1, its claw -fa; third toe 1-^-, its claw -fe ', fourth 

 toe l-j 1 ^-, its claw -f^. 



Female. — The female resembles the male, but is some- 

 what smaller, and with the black of the back less glossy. 



Variations. — The principal variations which I have seen 

 are confined to the tints of the back and scapulars, which 

 are more or less tinged with brown, and to the extent of the 

 dark colour on the nape, which also varies from greyish- 

 black to dark grey. Two specimens which I have received 

 from India, along with Totanus glottis, Totanus stagnatilis, 

 Tringa subarquata, and other birds, all in their winter 

 plumage, seem to me to be also winter birds. It does not 

 appear that authors have been aware of any seasonal change 

 of plumage in this species ; but analogy might lead us to 

 believe that the Himantopi resemble the Totani in this re- 

 spect. This is certainly not the young bird in its first 

 plumage, as none of the dark feathers are in the slightest 

 degree margined. 



Adult in Winter. — Bill and feet as in the summer. 

 Forehead, a band over the eyes, fore part of neck, breast, 

 sides, abdomen, lower tail coverts, and the greater part of 

 the back, white. Upper part of the head, nape, and a line 

 below the eye, with the ear coverts, ash-grey; the whole 

 hind part of the neck pale grey, its sides tinged with the 

 same. The tail feathers and upper coverts pale ash-grey. 

 The fore part of the back, the scapulars, and the inner 

 elongated secondaries, with their coverts brown, the latter 

 glossed with greenish ; the rest of the wing black strongly 

 glossed with green ; the lower wing coverts brownish-black. 



Habits. — All that I can learn of this species is merely 



