510 



^OUTII AMKRKWN UlUDS. 



Genus PLECTROPHANES, Meyer. 



ricrtrophancs, Meyeu, " Tasclu'iilMU'li, 1810." Agassiz. (V\\\o^ Emlx-riza nh'olis.) 

 Ccntrophfims, Kaup, " Kutw. Gj'.sch. Europ. Thierwelt, Ib^D." Agxssiz. (Tyjte, E. lap- 

 ponica.) 



Gen. Char. Bill variable ; conical ; the lower mandible higher than the upper ; the 

 sidi's of Itoth niandiblc's '^in tiie typical species) guarded by a closely applied brush of 

 stiflened bristly featliers d rected forwards, and in the upper jaw concjaling the nostrils; 



Pffrtrophaii's jiiralis. 



the outlines of the bill nearly strr.iirht, or slightly curve*! ; the lower jaw considerably 

 broader at the base than the upjier, and wider than the gonys is long. Tarsi considerably 

 longer than tlie middle toe; the late-al toes n«\irh' eciual (the inner claw largest) and 

 reaching to the base of the middle claw. Tiie hinder claw very long, moderately curved 

 and acute. ct»nsideral)ly longer than it^ toe ; the toe and claw together reaching to the middle 

 of the middle claw, or beyond its tip. Wings very long and much [>ointed, reaching 

 nearly to tlie end of the tail; the first quill longest; the others rapidly graduated ; the 

 tertiaries a little longer than the secondaries. Tail moderate, about two thirds as long as 

 the wings: nearly even, or slightly emaririnated. 



Tlie species of this genus are essentially lK)real and cosmopolitan, although 



America possesses four species 

 r^:tvj9^./ not found, like lier two others, 

 in the Old World. Tliey are 

 all ground-birds, collecting in 

 large flocks, in autumn and 

 winter, on imiiries and plains, 

 some of the species passing far 

 to the southward. There is 

 much variation in the color, and 

 in the details of structure of 

 bill and feet. In P. nivalis 



PUrtrophnnfs nivalis . • ,i n • n ^ • ,^ 



alone is the tringe oi bristly 

 feathers along the side of the bill very distinct. The gonys also is excep- 

 tionally short, being less than half the length of the culmen. 



