68 AVES. 



IV. SCOLOPACID^E. Bill long and slender; 

 legs moderate, or elongated: toes four in num- 

 ber; anterior ones entirely divided, or united 

 by a small basal membrane ; hind toe weak 

 and elevated, very rarely altogether wanting. 



73. NUMENIUS Bill much longer than the head, 



slender, arcuate, rounded, the tip rather obtuse; upper 

 mandible projecting beyond the lower, channelled through- 

 out three-fourths of its length : nostrils basal, oblong- 

 linear, placed in the lateral groove: lore, and rest of the 

 face feathered : legs slender ; lower part of the tibia naked : 

 anterior toes connected as far as the first joint : wings mo- 

 derate ; first quill longest. 



74. TOTANUS Bill long or moderate, slender, ge- 

 nerally straight, rarely inclining a little upwards, soft at 

 the base, solid and sharp-pointed at the extremity ; upper 

 mandible channelled through half its length or more, slightly 

 bending over the lower one at the tip : nostrils lateral, linear, 

 placed in the groove : legs long, slender, with the lower 

 part of the tibia naked: anterior toes, or the outer ones 

 only, connected by a small membrane. 



75. RECURVIROSTRA Bill very long, slender, 



weak, depressed, pointed, flexible at the tip, and consider- 

 ably recurved ; upper mandible channelled on each side : 

 nostrils long, linear, placed at the base of the groove : 

 legs long and slender ; lower half of the tibia naked : 

 anterior toes connected by a membrane as far as the second 

 joint; hind toe very small. 



76. H1MANTOPUS Bill very long, slender, atte- 

 nuated, nearly straight, rounded, a little compressed at the 

 tip ; mandibles channelled laterally for half their length : 

 nostrils linear, elongated : legs very long and slender : nearly 

 the whole of the tibia naked : outer and middle toes con- 

 nected by a broad membrane ; hind toe wanting : wings 

 very long; first quill longest. 



