GRALLATORIJE. 153 



much diversity in their plumage, that many imaginary species have been 

 described by naturalists. 



There are some small birds in America resembling the sandpipers, whose 

 feet are semi-palmated anteriorly (the HEMIPALAMA, Bonap.). 



EURINORHYNCHUS, NilsOTl. 



Distinguished from them by its depressed bill, widened at the end almost 

 like that of the spoonbill, the only known species of which, 



Eurinorhynchus griseus, Nils., is one of the rarest in existence ; for only a 

 single individual has been found : it is grey above, white beneath, and hardly 

 as large as a pelidna. 



PHALAROPUS, Brisson. 



Small birds, whose bill, though flatter than that of the sandpipers, is simi- 

 larly proportioned, and has the same grooves; the toes are also bordered with 

 wide membranes, like those of the fulica. 



STREPSILAS. 



The Turn-stones stand rather low; the bill is short, and the toes are without 

 membranes, like those of the true sandpipers; but this bill is conical, pointed, 

 without any depression, compression, or inflation, and the nasal fossas do not 

 extend to more than half its length. The thumb barely reaches the ground. 

 Their bill, which is stronger and stifFer in proportion than that of the 

 preceding birds, enables them to overturn stones, beneath which they find 

 worms. 



TOTANUS, Cuvier. 



The beak of these birds is slender, round, pointed, and solid ; the nasal fossae 

 do not extend beyond the half of its length, and the upper mandible is slightly 

 arcuated near the end. Their form is h'ght and their legs long; but a small 

 part of their thumb rests on the ground; their external web is well marked. 

 Each of the species is found throughout almost the whole of the globe. 



Among the species foreign to Europe, we should particularly notice that of 

 North America, with the large beak and semi-palmated feet, (Scolopax semipal- 

 mata, Lin.) which has a short and thick beak, plumage brown-grey above, 

 whitish beneath ; brownish spots on the neck and breast ; toes well bordered 

 with equal and considerable membranes. 



HIMANTOPUS*, Brisson. 



The bill round, slender, and pointed, even more so than that of a totanus, 

 and the nasal grooves occupy but half its length. The excessive length and 

 tenuity of the legs, which are reticulated and destitute of a thumb, and the 

 weakness of their bones, which is so extreme as to render walking painful to 

 them, are what principally distinguish the species of this subgenus, and give 

 rise to their name. This is perhaps the only place for the 



* Hfmantopvt, feet like a string, (alluding to their weakness) is tie name given to 

 this bird by Pliny. 



