PHALAROPODID^E. CXLIII. 243 



FAMILY CXLIII. PHALAROPODID^S. (THE 

 PHALAROPES.) 



Small sand-piper-like birds, with the toes lobed, as in the Coots 

 and Grebes, but the lobes narrower. Body depressed, the lower 

 plumage thick, as in the ducks, and capable of resisting water; 

 wings long, tail short; tarsus much compressed. Species 3 in two 

 genera. They inhabit northern regions, ranging S. in winter. 



a. Bill stoutish, flattened, with lancet-shaped tip. . . CRYMOPHILUS, 382. 

 aa. Bill subulate, very slender PHALAROPUS, 383. 



382. CRYMOPHILUS Vieillot. (icpvpos, cold; ^iXoy, loving.) 



750. C. fulicarius (L.). RED PHALAROPE. Back black, the 

 feathers tawny edged; top of head blackish, its sides white; rump 

 white; quills mostly black; feet yellowish; lower parts purplish 

 chestnut; young white below; membrane of toes scalloped. L. 8. 

 W. 5. T. 2f. B. 1. Ts. f. Northern regions. (Eu.) (Lat., 

 Coot-like.) 



383. PHALAROPUS Brisson. ((j>a\apis, the coot; irovs, foot.) 



o. Membranes of toes scalloped; wing less than 5. (Phalaropus.) 



751. P. lobatus (L.). NORTHERN PHALAROPE. Adult gray- 

 ish black, variegated with tawny; rump and under parts white; 

 neck largely rusty red ; bill and feet black. L. 7. W. 4. T. 2. 

 B. f . Ts. f . Northern regions, chiefly along sea-shores. (Eu.) 



aa. Membrane of toes plain; wing more than 4. (Steganopus Vieillot.) 



752. P. tricolor (Vieillot). WILSON'S PHALAROPE. Ashy 

 above, more or less variegated with chestnut; rump pale; lower 

 parts white ; sides of head and neck with a stripe of dark wine-red, 

 which changes to black above ; tail marbled ; winter plumage with 

 no red or black ; bill and feet black. L. 9. W. 5. T. 2. B. l. 

 Ts. 1^. N. Am., chiefly in interior; largest and handsomest of 

 the Phalaropes, varying much with the season. 



FAMILY CXLIY. RE CUR VIRO STRIDES. (THE AVOCETS.) 



A little family allied to the snipe, with the legs excessively long 

 and the bill very slender, long, acute, straight or curved upward. 

 Genera 3, species 8 ; in most parts of the world. Himantopus is 

 said to have relatively longer legs than any other bird. 



a. Toes 4; the anterior full webbed; bill recurved, flattened, tapering to a 

 fine point; plumage beneath thickened, as in ducks; swimmers. 



RECURVIROSTRA, 384. 

 aa. Toes 3, semipalmate; bill nearly straight, not flattened. 



HIMANTOPUS, 385. 



