256 VERTEBRATES: BIRDS. 



comprises waders which have the lateral groove of the 

 bill extending nearly to the tip, toes with a lateral mar- 

 gin, the hinder with a feeble lobe, and the feathers of the 

 breast compact. 



The Genus Phalaropus Phalaropes has the mem- 

 brane generally more or less scalloped at the joints. 



Wilson's Phalarope, P. Wilsonii, Sab., of North Amer- 

 ica, is nine and a half inches long, and the wings five and 

 a half inches ; the back, wings, and tail, cinereous ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts, and under parts, white ; a wide 

 stripe behind the eye blackish ; the neck before, and a 

 stripe running upwards to the back, bright reddish-brown. 



The Northern Phalarope, P. hyperboreus, Temm., of 

 nearly all countries, is seven inches long, and the wing 

 four and a half inches ; the bill short, straight, and 

 pointed ; upper parts dark ; lower, white ; and the neck 

 with a ring of bright ferruginous. 



The Red Phalarope, P. fulicarius, Bonap., of the tem- 

 perate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, is 

 seven and a half inches long, and the wing five and a 

 quarter inches ; the under parts deep brownish-red ; dark 

 above. 



SCOLOPACID^E, OR SNIPE FAMILY. This Family com- 

 prises waders which have the bill generally longer than 

 the head, and the hind toe generally present. 



The Genus Philohela Woodcocks has the body 

 very full, head, bill, and eyes very large, wings short and 

 rounded, and the toes cleft to the base. 



The American Woodcock, P. minor, Gray, of Eastern 

 North America, is eleven inches long, and the wing five 

 and a quarter inches ; the bill very long, the upper man- 

 dible longer than the under, and fitted to it at the tip ; 

 the eyes far from the bill, and the tail short ; the occiput 

 with three transverse bands of black alternating with 

 three of pale yellowish-rufous ; the upper parts of the 



