KEY TO FAMILIES. 



FIG. 25. 



Order IX. Limicolse. PHALAROPES, SNIPES, PLOVERS, etc. 



Toes four, or (Plovers) three ; the hind toe, when present, less than half 

 the length of the inner one, and always elevated above the others ; legs 

 generally long and slender, the lower half of the tibiae bare ; bill, except 

 in the Plovers, generally long, slender, and soft, the nostrils opening 

 through slits or grooves ; wings long and pointed, the first primary gen- 

 erally the longest. 



FIG. 26. 



Family Recurvirostridce : STILTS and AVOCETS, 



Family Phalaropodidoe : 



front of the tarsus with 

 . . Family Scolopacidm : 



I. Tarsus over 3-50. 

 p. 149. 



II. Tarsus under 3-50. 



A. Sides of the toes with lobes or webs. . . 

 PHALAROPES (Fig. 26, a), p. 147. 



B. Sides of the toes without lobed webs. 



a. Toes four (except in the Sanderling) 

 transverse, more or less square, scales. 



SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, etc. (Fig. 25, a, b ; Fig. 26, J, c), p. 150. 



b. Whole lower back white, a black band across the rump. . . . 

 Family Aphrizidce : TURNSTONES, etc., p. 176. 



c. Toes three (except in the Black-bellied Plover) ; front of the 

 tarsus with small, rounded scales. 



c 1 . Bill under 2-00. . . . Family Charadriidce \ PLOVERS (Fig. 25, 



c, d ; Fig. 26, d, e), p. 171. 

 c*. Bill over 2-00 Family Hcematopodidce, : OYSTER-CATCHERS, 



p. 177. 



