82 TRINGIXJE. PHALAROPUS. 



at first sight might be taken for a Tringa, although its feet 

 differ so much as to render it expedient to separate it from 

 that genus. It is, one may say, a Tringa with the toes lobed 

 or scolloped. The body rather slender, the neck of moderate 

 length, the head small, compressed, with the forehead ele- 

 vated and rounded. Bill rather longer than the head, al- 

 most quite straight, slender, subcylindrical ; upper mandible 

 with the dorsal line straight, the ridge flattened, the nasal 

 groove extending two-thirds, the breadth considerably en- 

 larged toward the end, the tip obtuse ; lower mandible with 

 the angle long and extremely narrow, the sides erect and 

 grooved, the tip rather acute. Eyes rather small. Nostrils 

 basal, oblong, with an elevated margin. Aperture of ear 

 roundish, and of moderate size. Legs short, extremely slen- 

 der ; tibia bare to a considerable extent ; tarsus short, much 

 compressed, anteriorly scutellate ; hind toe diminutive ; ante- 

 rior toes of moderate length, the second slightly shorter than 

 the fourth ; the three connected at the base by webs, and late- 

 rally margined with a lobed membrane ; claws very small, 

 arched, compressed, rather sharp. Plumage full, soft, blend- 

 ed ; the feathers oblong, and much curved. Wings long, 

 pointed, with twenty-five quills ; the first and second quills 

 longest ; secondaries incurved, the inner very long and ta- 

 pering ; tail short, rounded, of twelve feathers. 



The dense plumage, impervious to water, and the expand- 

 ed margins of the toes, indicate an affinity to the Palmipede 

 birds. 



192. PHALAROPUS LOBATUS. GREY PHALAROPE. 



In winter, the back of a fine pale purplish blue, the occiput 

 and a line down the back of the neck greyish-black, the fore- 

 head, sides of the head, neck, and lower parts, white. The 

 wing-coverts blackish, as are the primary quills, and some of 

 the very elongated and pointed inner secondaries ; the shafts 

 of the quills, and the margins and tips of the secondary coverts, 

 and the tips of the primary coverts, white ; the middle tail- 

 feathers deep brown, margined with white, the lateral shaded 

 into ash-grey ; bill black, feet pale brown, lobes grey, claws 

 black. In summer, the bill yellow, with the point dusky, the 

 feet greyish-blue ; upper part of the head black ; fore part of 

 the back, the scapulars, and inner secondaries, black, margin- 





