BIRDS OF NORTn AXD MIDDLE AMERICA. 27 



Very large, stoutly-built Charadrii (wing 237-280 mra.) with bill 

 longer than tarsus, compressed distalh^, the tip truncate or subtrun- 

 cate (in lateral profile); tarsi covered, all round, with 'small hexa- 

 gonal scales, and basal portion of both interdigital spaces distinctly 

 webbed. 



Bill decidedly longer than tarsus, sometimes very slightly upturned 

 for terminal half (though usually straight), more or less compressed, 

 except basally, its depth at gonydeal angle equal to one and a half 

 times to more than twice its width at same point; culmen more than 

 one-fourth to very nearly one-third as long as wing, nearly straight, 

 * the basal portion (mesorhinium) more or less ascending basally; max- 

 illary tomium nearly straight, sometimes faintly convex, the tip of 

 maxilla (in lateral profile) rounded or truncate; mandibular tomium 

 nearly straight (sometimes faintly concave distally), the gonys some- 

 times straight, sometimes faintly but distinctly convex, its base usu- 

 ally more or less prominent, sometimes forming a distinct angle; 

 tip of mandible (in lateral profile) obtusely pointed to nearly trun- 

 cate; maxilla with a broad, shallow lateral groove, extending some- 

 times to half way between loral feathering and tip, but usually much 

 less, the proximal portion (nasal fossa) occupied by membrane, in 

 the lower edge of which is placed the narrow, longitudinal, subbasal 

 nostril. Wing long and pointed, the longest primaries extending 

 decidedly beyond tips of longest tertials; outermost primary longest 

 or, rarel}^, the two outermost longest and of equal length. Tail 

 between one-third and one-half as long as wing, truncate or very 

 slightly rounded; rectrices twelve. Tarsus stout, a little shorter 

 than length of maxilla from nostril, covered all round with small 

 hexagonal scales; middle toe, without claw, decidedly more than 

 half to nearly three-fourths as long as tarsus, the lateral toes decidedly 

 shorter, the inner shorter than the outer; hallux entirely absent; 

 anterior toes with a well-developed thick and rough lateral mem- 

 brane, the basal portion of interdigital spaces distinctly webbed, the 

 web between middle and outer toes extending sometimes to second 

 articulation of middle toe, that between middle and inner toes much 

 smaller, sometimes very slightly developed. 



Coloration. — Plumage particolored or pied (black and white or 

 black, gra3nsh brown and white, in large sharply contrasting areas) 

 or wholly black or dark sooty brown; bill and naked ej^e-ring brightly 

 colored (red, orange, or yellow) in life. 



Range. — Seacoasts nearly throughout the world. (About fourteen 

 species and subspecies.) 



KEY TO THE AMERICAN SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OP H^MATOPUS. 



a. Plumage parti-colored or pied (under parts of body white, and with white on wings 

 and tail). 

 b. Entire rump and lower back white. {Hxmatopus oslralegus.) 



