KEY TO FAMILIES. 



47 



Order IX* Limicolo* — Phalaroper, Snipes, Plovers, etc. 



Toes four, or (Plovers) tliree; tlie hind toe, when present, less than lialf 

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

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

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

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

 erally the longest. 



1 toe 

 Gal- 

 itout 

 with 



.ES, 



!4), 



Fig. 26. 



I. Tarsus over 3-50. . . . Family liecurvirostridae, : Stilts and Avocets, 

 p. 149. 



II. Tarsus under n-50. 



A. Sides of the toes with lobes or webs. . . . Family Phalaropodidtz : 

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



B. Sides of the toes without lobed webs. 



a. Toes four (e.\cept in the Sanderling) ; front of the tarsus with 

 transverse, more or less square, scales. . . . Family ScolojiaciJui : 

 Snipes, SANnpiPEus, etc. (Fig. 25, a, b\ Fig. 2C, h, c), p. 150. 



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

 Family Aphrizidm; Tikn'stoxes, etc., p. 170. 



c. Toes three (exce])t in tlio Black-bellied Plover) ; front of the 

 tarsus with small, rounded scales. 



c>. Bill under 200. . . . Family Charadriidce : Ploveks (Fig. 25, 



c, d\ Fig. 2<), d, e), p. 171, 

 d>. Bill over 200. . . . Family Hosmatopodidix ; Oystkr-catchkbs, 



p. 177. 



