AVES. 69 



77- LIMOSA Bill very long, slender, soft and 



flexible throughout, slightly recurved, depressed, the tip 

 obtuse and somewhat dilated ; upper mandible channelled 

 for nearly its whole length : nostrils linear, pierced in the 

 membrane of the groove : legs long and slender ; lower 

 part of the tibia naked : outer and middle toes connected 

 by a membrane as far as the first joint : wings moderate ; 

 first quill longest. 



78. SCOLOPAX. Bill very long, straight, slender, 

 soft, the tip obtuse and dilated ; upper mandible a little 

 longer than the lower ; both mandibles channelled for nearly 

 two-thirds of their length : nostrils lateral, basal, linear, 

 covered by a membrane : legs moderate, slender ; naked 

 space on the tibia very small: wings with the first quill 

 longest ; second nearly equal to it. 



(I. RUSTICOLA.) Tibia feathered to the joint : tarsi short: anterior 

 toes entirely divided : hind claw shorter than the toe. 



(2. SCOLOPAX.) Lower part of the tibia naked : tarsi more elon- 

 gated : toes entirely divided, or united at the base by an 

 extremely short membrane : hind claw longer than the toe. 



(3. MACRORAMPHUS.) Lower part of the tibia naked : tarsi rather 

 elongated : outer toe united to the middle one as far as the first 

 joint : hind claw longer than the toe. 



79. TRINGA Bill as long as, or a little longer 



than the head ; straight, or slightly curved, soft and 

 flexible throughout, compressed at the base, depressed and 

 dilated at the extremity ; upper mandible longer than the 

 lower, with the nasal channel extending nearly to the tip : 

 nostrils lateral, short, pierced in the membrane of the 

 groove : tarsi moderate, or elongated : wings with the first 

 quill longest. 



(1. MACHETES.) Tarsi elongated : outer and middle toes united by 

 a membrane as far as the first joint : neck (in the male) with 

 an ornamental ruff during the breeding season. 



(2. TRINGA.) Tarsi moderate : anterior toes divided to their origin : 

 hind toe very small, 



80. LOBIPES. Bill long, slender, weak, a little de- 

 pressed at the base, subulate at the tip ; upper mandible 

 slightly curved, and channelled throughout : tongue slender, 



