of (he United States. 345 



Traced all over the world. Formed of four species, one 

 in each quarter of the globe. In form and especially habits, 

 closely allied to the Family of the Limicola?, in which it may 

 be placed with propriety, in the small collateral branch of its 

 near relation Himantopus. Also much allied to the Phala- 

 ropes ! They would form a very natural small family, to 

 which might be united Himantopus, the family of Limicolae 

 remaining then perfectly natural and uninterrupted. 



280. Recurvirostra Americana, L> White, tail tinged with 

 cinereous ; back and wings black ; whole head and neck 

 pale rufous. 



American Jlvocet, Recurvirostra americana, Wils. vii. p. 126. 

 pi 63. Jig. 2. 



Inhabits during summer the United States, where it breeds: 

 not very common : winters in tropical America. 



61. PLATALEA. 



Platalea, L. Gm. Lath. III. Cuv. Temm. Vieill. Ranz. 

 Platea, Briss. 



Bill very long, large, flexible, straight, much flattened 

 throughout, dilated and orbicular at the point, covered by a 

 skin wrinkled, knotted, and scaly at base; both mandibles fur- 

 nished internally with dense symmetrical striae, and a channel 

 denticulated on its borders ; upper deeply furrowed each side 

 from the base round the end, terminated by a hooked nail : 

 nostrils in the furrow, basal, approximated, oblong, open, 

 margined by a membrane : tongue very short, slender, trian- 

 gular, acute. Head moderate, more or less naked ; bare 

 skin of the throat dilatable ; eyes moderate, placed high near 

 the base of the bill ; orbits naked : neck rather long and slen- 

 der : body rather plump. Tarsus but little longer than the 

 middle toe, robust ; fore toes long, webs very deeply indented; 

 hind toe elongated, articulated nearly on a level with the 

 rest, bearing on the ground nearly its whole length ; nails 



