HIMANTOPTJS. 247 



middle toe by a broad web, a narrower web between the middle 

 and inner toe. 



The Stilts are found in all temperate and tropical countries. 

 One species occurs in India. 



1451. Himantopus candidus. The Black-winged Stilt. 



Charadrius himantopus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 255 (1766). 



Himantopus Candidas, Bonn. Tail. Fncyd. Meth. i, p. 24 (1790); 

 Blyth, Cat. p. 264 ; Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. 704 ; Blyth, Ibis, 1807, 

 p. 169 ; Godtc.-Autt. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. 2, p. 274; Hume, Ibis, 

 1870, p. 145 ; Feilden, ibid. p. 295 ; Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi, p. 464 ; 

 Ball, S. F. vii, p. 229 ; Cripps, ibid. p. 304 ; Hume, Cat. no. 898 ; 

 Doiy, S. F. viii, p. 371 ; Leyye, Birds Ceyl. p. 919 ; Vidal, S. F. 

 ix, p. 86 ; Butler, ibid. p. 430 ; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 97 ; Scully, 

 ibid. p. 590 ; Held, S. F.. x, p. 72 ; Taylor, ibid. p. 466 ; Gates, 

 B. B. ii, p. 379 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 361 ; Hume, S. F. xi, 

 p. 326; St. John, Ibis, 1889, p. 177; Gates in Hume's N. # E. 

 2nd ed. iii, p. 353 ; Barms, Jour. Bom. N. H. Soc. vi, p. 132, 

 fig. 888 (egg). 



Hiinantopas melanopterus, Meyer, Ann. Wetter. Gesellsch. iii, 

 p. 177 (1814) ; Seebvhm, Charadr. p. 277. 



Himantopus iutermedius, Blyth, Cat. p. 265 (1849, descr. nulla) ; 



Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xli, pt. 2, p. 253 ; Hume, N. $ E. p. 589 ; 



id. S. F. i, p. 248 ; Adam, 8. F. i, p. 397 ; ii, p. 339 ; Hume fy 



Gates, S. F. iii, p. 183 ; Leyye, ibid. p. 373 ; Butler, S. F. iv, p. 18. 

 Himantopus autuinnalis, Hasselq., Holdsworth, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 475; 



Blyth I Wald. Birds Burm. p. 154. 

 Himantopus himantopus, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxiv, p. 310. 



The Stilt or Long-leys, Jerdcn ; Gaj-paun, Tinyhur, H. ; Lal-gon, 

 Lal-thenyi, Lam-yora, Beng. 



Fig. 56. Head of H. candidus (adult). . 



Coloration. Adult male. Whole head, neck and lower parts, 

 lower bark and rump white; back, scapulars, and wings above 

 and below black, glossed with metallic green ; upper tail-coverts 

 brownish ; tail whity-brown. 



Females have the back, scapulars, tertiaries, and inner wing- 

 coverts brown. 



Young birds have the occiput and nape black or blackish, and 

 the hind neck grey. These dark marks are retained by many 

 birds that sho\v no other signs of immaturity ; the pure white 

 head is probably not attained for some years. Birds of the year 

 have brown back, scapulars, and tertiaries, and the crown and 



