728 U. S. p. E. E EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL EEPOET. 



appearance of tlie other. It is seldom, if ever, expanded laterally near the tip. The difference 

 in cleft of the mouth is very striking — this always extending behind the base of culmen, 

 sometimes nearly to the eyes, instead of merely reaching to or even falling short of the beginning 

 or base of culmen. This appears to indicate a radical difference in the character of food, the 

 Totaneae being capable of feeding on hard substances of rather large size, while the food of 

 Tringeae is softer, smaller, and sucked into the mouth, rather than taken in any other way. 

 A strong mark of distinction for the North American species, at least, is seen in the conspicuous 

 transverse bars of the tail in Totaneae, scarcely ever found in Tringeae, although occurring again 

 in Scolopaceae. The single exception is seen in the genus Heteroscelus, in which the upper 

 plumage is entirely uniform, without bars or spots anywhere. The tarsus is covered laterally 

 and behind with hexagonal scales, somewhat as in Strepsilas, but they are more irregular. 



Synopsis of genera. 



A. Bill with the upper mandible grooved only for about basal half; rather longer than the 

 head ; commissure bent slightly upwards from the middle. Tarsi scutellate behind, with 

 transverse scales. 



Both outer and inner toes webbed. 



Symphemia. — Bill very thick, recurved. Tarsus 1^ times the middle toe. 

 Inner toe separated from middle nearly to base. Bill more slender. 



Glottis. — Bill stouter and higher at base than in others of the section ; more 

 recurved. Legs green. 



Gambetta. — Legs lengthened ; tarsus 1^ times the middle toe. Legs yellow, 



Khyachophilus. — Legs short ; tarsus equal to the middle toe. 



B. Bill as in preceding ; the nasal groove extending a little further forward. Commissure 

 straight. Tarsus with polygonal small scales behind, (only present here among Totaneae.) 



Heteroscelus. — Bill much longer than the tarsus, which equals the middle toe. 

 Legs short. Outer toe webbed. 



C. Bill with the upper mandible grooved on the side for three-fourths or more its length ; 

 . not longer than the head. 



Cleft of mouth extending but little beyond the base of culmen. 



Tringoides. — Bill, tarsus, and middle toe about same length ; legs short. Tail 



mojip than half the wings. Inner toe with very slight basal web. 

 Philomachus. — Tarsus much longer than middle toe, which is longer than the bill. 



Legs lengthened. Tail not half the wings. 

 Cleft of mouth extending nearly to eyes ; the culmen two-thirds the commissure. 



Actiturus. — Feathers extending farther on upper jaw than lower. Interspace of 



rami not filled with feathers. Legs long ; tarsus 1^ times middle toe. Outer 



toe much webbed at base ; inner, with very slight web. Tail more than half 



the wing. 

 Tryngites. — extending much farthest on lower jaw. Interspace of rami filled 



entirely with feathers. Legs short. Tarsus equal to middle toe ; all the toes 



cleft to the base, or with a very short web. Tail not half the wing. 



