242 AVES: LIMICOI^E. xxxvni. 



greenish. L. 14. W. 7\. T. 3. Ts. 2. S. States, straying N. 

 to N. E. and Wis. (Lat., helmeted.) 



381. FTTLICA Linnanis. (Lat., coot.) 



749. F. americana (Gmelin). COOT. MUD HEN. Dark slate 

 color or sooty, with white on wings and crissura ; bill pale in adult, 

 with a brown spot near tip; frontal shield dark brown. L. 14. 

 W. 8. T. 2. N. Am., abundant in reedy swamps ; an excellent 

 swimmer. 



ORDER XXXVIII. L.IMICOL^E. (THE SHORE-BIRDS.) 



This division of the old order of Grallce includes the allies of 

 the Plover and Snipe, as distinguished from the nearly related 

 Cranes and Rails on the one hand and the remotely related 

 Herons and Ibises on the other. Some of the external characters 

 of the group are the following. Tibia more or less naked below ; 

 legs long; hind toe free and elevated, often wanting. Head glo- 

 bose, abruptly sloping to the base of the bill ; completely feathered 

 (except in the male of Pavoncella) ; gape short ; bill weak, flexible, 

 more or less soft-skinned and sensitive at tip in most cases, adapted 

 for probing in the mud; nostrils slit-like, surrounded by soft skin. 

 Schizognathous ; precocial. 



The Limicolce are all birds of small size, abundant on sandy 

 shores and in marshes. In spite of the difference in appearance 

 and habits, these birds have much in common with the gulls, in 

 their anatomy. (Lat., limus, mud; colo, I inhabit.) 



Families of Limicolae. 



a. Toes lobate, with distinct lateral membranes ; tarsus extremely compressed. 



PHALAROPODID.E, 143. 

 aa. Toes not lobate ; webbed or not. 



b. Tarsus more than twice middle toe with claw; naked part of tibia much 

 longer than middle toe with claw; feet palmate or not. 



RECURVIROSTRIDJJ, 144. 

 bb. Tarsus less than twice middle toe with claw; naked portion of tibia 



shorter than middle toe with claw; toes cleft or semipalmate. 

 c. Tarsus scutellate in front. 



d. Bill slender, with a bluntish tip ; soft-skinned and sensitive through- 



out SCOLOPACID.E, 145. 



dd. Bill stout, hard, pointed and wedge-shaped at tip (in our species). 



APHRIZIDJS, 146. 

 cc. Tarsus reticulate in front. 



e. Bill not longer than tarsus, not compressed ; contracted behind the 



horny tip, shaped somewhat like a pigeon's bill. 



CHARADRIID^E, 147. 

 ee. Bill longer than tarsus, much compressed at tip. 



H<EMATOPODID<, 148. 



