of the United States. 323 



at tip : nails compressed, curved, acute. Wings moderate; 

 first primary longest. Tail generally short, of twelve feathers. 



Female similar to the male, somewhat larger. Young 

 differ but little from the adult in winter plumage. Moult 

 twice in the year, (hanging somewhat. 



Live in flocks, some species solitary, in damp meadows, 

 near water, preferring river shores and fresh water marshes; 

 wade deeply. Migrate according to season. Feed on in- 

 sects, mollusea, which they seek on hard ground, among 

 gravel, or in hard bottomed rivulets, by means of their solid 

 and less sensible bill. Breed socially among the grass near 

 water. 



Spread all over the globe, many of the species themselves. 

 Resembling each other closely, very difficult to distinguish 

 without a thorough acquaintance. Closely allied to the genus 

 Scolopax, by its subgenus Macroramphus, to Limosa by our 

 subgenus Glottis, and especially to Tringa by Machetes : 

 well distinguished, however, by the union of the two charac- 

 ters of the feet and bill. 



SUBGENUS I. QATOPTROPHORUS. 



Part of Chevaliers proprement dits, Temm. Part of Glot- 

 tis, Nilsson. 



Bill straight, stout, solid almost its whole length, furrows 

 only at the base, those of the lower mandible obliterated. 

 Fore toes all connected at base by a membrane. 



Female conspicuously larger. 



Not only wade, but swim occasionally. 



259. Totanus semipalmatus, Temm. Rump white; lower wing 

 coverts, black ; quills white, for two thirds of their length 

 from the base. 



Summer plumage brownish, varied with blackish and 

 whitish, beneath white, spotted with blackish : winter, light 

 ash, beneath white. 



