704 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



as well as in their mode of coloration ; but they resemble them 

 in all essential points of structure ; and are merely two exag- 

 gerated forms of the family. Bonaparte formerly divided this 

 group into two sub-families, but subsequently re-united them, stat- 

 ing that they were completely joined by Cladorhynckus. 



Gen. Himantopus, Brisson. 



Char. — Bill long, t.vice the length of the head, very slender, 

 somewhat rounded, pointed, channeled on the sides as far as the 

 middle ; tip of the upper mandible very slightly bent over the 

 under one ; nostrils linear; wings long, pointed, 1st quill longest; 

 tail short, even, of twelve feathers ; tibia bare for the greater 

 part of its length ; legs very long, thin, reticulated ; toes short ; 

 outer toe joined to the middle one by a broad web ; inner one 

 with a very small web ; nails short, flat ; hind toe wanting. 



898. Himantopus candidus, Bonnaterre. 



P. E. 878— Jerdon, Cat. 348— Sykes, Cat. 211— Blyth, 

 Cat. 1572 — H. asiaticus, Lesson — H. intermedius, Blyth, Cat. 

 1573 — Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 289 — Gaj-paun, H. — Lal-gori, 

 in Bengal, or Lam-gora. 



The Stilt or Long-legs. 



Descr. — Back of the head black or dusky, more or less mixed 

 with whitish, in some nearly all white, in others with only the 

 nape black ; back and sides of neck grey ; interscapulars and 

 wings glossy green black ; tail pale ash-grey ; rest of the plumage 

 including the back and rump pure white, sometimes tinged with 

 rosy on the breast. 



Bill black, reddish at the base ; feet lake-red ; irides blood-red. 

 Length 1 5^ inches ; wing 9 ; extent 30 ; tail 3 ; bill at front 2f ; 

 tarsus 4^ to 5^. 



Old birds, according to Temminck, have often the head 

 pure white throughout ; and young birds have the black less 

 pure, edged with whitish, and the head dingy white. Blyth 

 at one time considered that certain specimens with the head 

 white, or nearly so, differed from the common species ; these he 

 named II. intermedius, as being intermediate between H. Candidas 



