BLACK-NECKED STILT. 249 
Lone-LEGGED AvosretT, ReEcurvirostra Himantoprus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. 
vol. vii. p. 48, pl. 55, fig. 1. 
Himantorus nicricotiis, Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, 
p. 322. 
Biack-NECKED Stitt, Vuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 8. 
Adult Male. Plate CCCX XVIII. 
Bill about twice as long as the head, very slender, roundish, taper- 
ing, slightly recurved. Upper mandible with its outline very slightly 
curved upwards, at the tip declinate ; the ridge convex, the sides con- 
vex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip narrow and rather acute. 
Nasal groove nearly half the length of the bill; nostrils linear, direct, 
sub-basal, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle very long and 
narrow, the sides grooved as far as the angle, the edges sharp and in- 
flected, the tip narrow. 
Head small, ovate, rounded above; neck very long and slender ; 
body rather compact. Legs extremely elongated and slender ; tibia 
bare for more than half its length, covered anteriorly with large curved 
scutella; tarsus very long, moderately compressed, scutellate before, 
reticulate on the sides; toes of moderate length, slender; hind toe 
wanting, outer a little longer than inner, and connected with the middle 
toe by a web extending nearly to the second joint; the inner toe also 
connected with the middle by a very short web. Claws small, nearly 
straight, moderately compressed. 
Plumage ordinary, the feathers ovate and rounded. Wings very 
long, of moderate breadth, acute, the first quill longest, the other pri- 
maries rapidly graduated. Tail short, even, of twelve feathers. 
Bill black, iris bright carmine; feet lake-coloured, claws dusky. 
Forehead, a spot above the eye, another below it, fore part and sides of 
the neck, and all the other lower parts, pure white. Upper part of head, 
hind neck, and upper parts, bluish-black, glossed with green ; tail white. 
Length to end of tail 144 inches, to end of wings 164, to end of 
claws 217; extent of wings 27; wing from flexure 9; tail 222; pill 
along the ridge 2;%,, along the edge of lower mandible 21; bare part 
of tibia 33; tarsus 424 ; middle toe 14, its claw;. Weight 63 oz. 
The Female is smaller than the male but otherwise similar. 
Length to end of tail 14 inches, to end of wings 154, to end of claws 
20; extent of wings 253. Weight 5 oz. 
