514 LIGAMENT—LIMPKIN 
shewn by Randle Holme’s Academy of Armory published at Chester 
in 1688, wherein he stated (p. 266) that three heads of the Lever 
“couped ” were borne by the family of that name,! and identified 
the bird with the Lepelaer, Leplar, and Lefler (or Léfflar) of Low and 
High Dutch, which last, he remarks, “we more finely pronounce 
Lever.” Now all these are well-known names of what we now call 
the SPOONBILL, a bird which on incontestable evidence had several 
breeding-stations in England, so that places may well have taken 
their name from it; but on the other hand, Holme’s assertion that 
this bird was ever called Lever or Liver in English wants .confirma- 
tion, and is said to contravene all etymological laws. 
LIGAMENT, a tis of connective tissue, binding several parts 
or organs to one another. Ligaments form an important feature in 
all joints where the bones are held together by bands of little 
variability, and are especially strong in the region of the shoulder 
and the knee. Skeletal Ligaments mostly consist of modified 
periosteum and fibrous cartilage, and hence they occasionally ossify, 
causing bones that were originally distinct to unite. Sometimes 
tendons which have lost their muscles are converted into Ligaments, 
or obliterated vessels act as bands between intestinal organs. 
LIMICOLA, Illiger’s name in 1811 for a “Family” com- 
posed of the genera Numenius, Scolopax, Ereunetes, Actitis, Strepsilas 
and Tringa, practically that is the Scolopacide of later authors ; 
but since his time used in a general sense for all the Scolopacidx 
and Charadridx, the latter of which he had placed in a separate 
Family, Littorales. 
LIMPKIN, a bird so called in Florida, because, though swift of 
foot, some of its movements resemble those of a limping man. It 
is the Aramus pictus of modern American ornithologists,? and 
together with its southern congener A. scolopaceus, with which it 
was long confounded (if indeed they be distinct), is considered to 
hold a place midway between the Gruidw (CRANE) and the Rallidx 
(RAIL), its osteological (Eyton, Oséeol. Av. p. 200, pl. xiv. K) and 
pterylographical characters being those of the former, while its 
digestive organs (as described by Macgillivray for Audubon) are 
those of the latter. Beside Florida it inhabits the coast-districts 
of Central America, and the Greater Antilles, being known in 
Jamaica as the “Clucking Hen,” but the French name “ Courlan,” 
1 A Lancashire family interesting to ornithologists, since from it sprang Sir 
~ Ashton Lever, famous for his Museum. ‘ 
2 In the belief that it is the species mentioned by William Bartram as being 
called by the Indians Lphouskyka (signifying ‘‘ Crying Bird”) and by him 
Tantalus pictus ; but neither his description of it nor his drawing, as afterwards 
given by Barton (7’rans. Linn. Soc. xii. pl. 1), is very accurate. 
