612 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — LIMIC0L2E. 



Young: Mautle ashy-brown, eacli f(;ather edged with whitisli ; wings black, but some of the 

 quills whitf-tipped, tlie edge of tlie wing \¥hite, the coverts edged with pale ochre. Tail nfit 



so pearly gray as in the 

 adults, with some irreg- 

 ular dusky markings. 

 Legs jirobably different 

 (skins afford no ci'ite- 

 rion). Chick, in down : 

 Bill apparently blackish ; 

 legs pale. Under parts 

 white ; above, prettily mottled with black, brown, and tawny 

 or orange. U. S. generally, like the avocet rare eastward, 

 abundant in the west, rather more southerly than the avocet. 

 Nest at the water's-edge or on heaped vegetation just above 

 the surface in shallow water; eggs 4, pyriform, 1.60 to 1.8.5 X 

 1.15 to 1.25 ; greenish-drab or pale brownish-olive to dark 



Fig. 427. -Black-necked Stilt, '"■'"•^ce""'^' ^"l-^ly '"^rked all over with spots and splashes (.f 

 i nat. size. (From Sclater.) bUickish-brown. 



41. Family PHALAROPODID.^ : Phalaropes. 



This is likewise a small family ; the three species comjirising it resemble sandpipers, but 

 are immediately distinguished by the lobate feet ; the toes are furnished with plaiu or scalloped 

 membranes, like those of coots and grebes, but not so broad. The body is depressed, and the 

 under plumage thick and duck-like to resist water, on which the birds swim with perfect ease 

 and grace. The wings and tail are like those of ordinary sandpipers ; the tarsi are much com- 

 pressed ; there is basal webbing of the toes besides the marginal membrane ; the bill, and some 

 otlier details of form, differ in eacli of the three genera. These birds inhabit the northern por- 

 tions of both hemispheres, two of fhent at least breeding only in boreal regions, but they all 

 wander fir southward in winter. Tliere are but three species, one peculiar to America, the 



othei's fjf general distribution. 



Anahjsis of Genera. 



Menibr,anes plain ; bill very slender, subulate Steganopu.^ 226 



Membranes scalloped; bill very slender, subulate Lobipcs 227 



INIcmbranes scalloped; bill stouter, flattened, witb lancet-.sbaped tip Phalaropus 22S 



226. STEGAN'OPUS. (Gr. CTrf-yai/oVouf, uteganopous, web-foot.) Fringe-foot Piialaeope.s. 



Bill long, equalling the tarsus, exceeding the head, extremely slender, terete and acute. Culmen 



and gonys broad and depressed. Lateral 



grooves long and narrow, reaching nearly j^^^^^^ 



to tip of bill. Interramal space narrow and /^'A^^ 



very short, extending only half way to end 



of bill. Nostrils at extreme base of bill. '"''*'>si^*5i 



Wings of moderate length. Tail short, 



deeply doubly-emarginate ; legs gi-eatly 



elongated ; tibise bare for a considerable 



distance; tarsus exceeding middle toe. Fio. 42s. — Head ofWilson's Phalarope, nat. size. (.Ad 



Toes long and slender, broadly margined nat. del. E. C.) 



with an even, unscalloped membrane, united but for a brief space basally. Claws moderately 



long, arched, and ac\ite. 

 603. 8. wil'soni. (To A.Wilson. Fig. 428.) Wilson's Pitalarope. Adult 9 , in breeding 



dress: Bill and feet black. Crown of head pale ash, passing into white along a narrow stripe 



