160 GRALLATORES. PHALAROPUS. 



Young. Eye- streak, face, and fore part of the neck, white. Crown of 

 the head blackish-brown, bordered with greyish-white. 

 Hind part of neck greyish- white, with streaks of a 

 deeper tint ; upper parts hair-brown, with a glossy re- 

 flection, the feathers being margined with white and 

 reddish-white. Upon the back are several ash-grey 

 feathers, indicative of the approaching change. Upper 

 tail-coverts white. Lower part of neck and breast yel- 

 lowish-grey. Belly, abdomen, and under tail-coverts 

 white. Tail grey margined with white. 



Winter j n ^ ne perfect winter dress, the whole of the upper parts, 



plumage. ... 



with the exception of the tail-coverts, become of an uni- 

 form pale hair-brown, with a slight olivaceous gloss, the 

 shafts of the feathers remaining dark. Lower part of 

 the neck and breast grey, streaked with hair-brown. 



GENUS PHALAROPUS, BRISS. PHALAROPE. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill rather longer than the head, somewhat three-cornered 

 at the base, and depressed throughout its whole length ; both 

 mandibles laterally grooved, the tip of the upper mandible 

 dilated, its extremity slightly deflected, and covering that 

 of the under one, which is brought to a fine point ; culmen 

 rounded. Tongue short, with a blunt tip. 



Nostrils basal, lateral, oblong, rather prominent, and sur- 

 rounded by a membrane. Legs of mean length, slender, 

 slightly compressed, naked above the tar sal joint. Feet four- 

 toed, three before and one behind ; the front toes joined at 

 the base by a membrane, and from thence to the claws, 

 bordered with large scalloped membranes. Hind toe small, 

 with the tip of its claw scarcely reaching to the ground. 



In plumage, having the under parts of the body clothed 

 with thickly set feathers, and very closely adpressed. 



