436 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



FAMILY RECURVIROSTRID^. THE AVOSETS. 



Legs covered with hexagonal plates, becoming smaller behind; anterior toes all 

 connected more or less by membrane; bill much lengthened and attenuated; the 

 groove along the side of the upper mandible not extending beyond the middle; 

 gums denticulated only at the base. 



In addition to the features above mentioned, these birds are essentially charac- 

 terized by the excessive length of the legs, with a very long, slender neck and slen- 

 der elongated bill. Of the several genera assigned the family, but two belong to 

 the United States, with the following features: 



RECURVIKOSTKA Hind toe present ; toes webbed to the claws ; bill recurved 

 at tip. 



HIMANTOPUS. Hind toe wanting; a short web between middle and outer toes 

 at base; bill straight. 



RECUR VIROSTRA, LINNAEUS. 



Recurrirostra, LINN^US, Syst. Nat. (1744). Gray. (Type R. avocetta, L.) 

 Hind toe rudimentary; anterior toes united to the claws by a much emarginated 



membrane; bill depressed, extended into a fine point, which is recurved; tail 



covered by the wings. 



RECURVIROSTRA AMERICANA. GmeKn. 

 The American Avoset. 



Recurvirostra Americana, Gmelin. Syst. Nat., I. (1788) 693. Wils. Am. Orn., 

 VII. (1813) 126. Nutt. Man., II. 78. Aud. Orn. Biog., IV. (1838) 168. Jb., Birds 

 Am., VI. (1843) 247. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Bill rather long, depressed ; wings long ; legs long ; tarsi compressed ; tail short. 



Adult. Head and neck pale reddish-brown, darker on the head, and fading 

 gradually into white; back, wing coverts, and quills, black; scapulars, tips of 

 greater wing coverts, rump and tail, and entire under parts, white, the last frequently 

 tinged with reddish; bill brownish-black; legs bluish. 



Young. Very similar to the adult, but with the head and neck white, frequently 

 tinged with ashy on the head and neck behind; iris carmine. 



Total length, about seventeen inches; wing, eight and a half to nine; tail, three 

 and a half; bill to gape, three and three-quarters ; tarsus, three and a half inches. 



THIS bird is a rare summer visitor in New England. 

 I am unacquainted with its habits, having never met 

 with one alive ; and I must avail myself of the observations 

 of others. Wilson says, 



