BIEDS. 43 



Tarsus partly or entirely feathered, as is also the nasal 

 groove ; sides of neck usually with bare skin or pecul- 

 iar feathers Tbtraonid^, 49. 



Tarsus and nasal groove unfeathered ; no peculiar feathers 

 on neck PERDiciDiB, 50. 



M. FAMILIES OP LIMICOLiE. 



I. Toes lobate ; tarsus notably compressed ; body depressed. 



Phalauopodid^, 54. 



II. Toes m)t lobate ; tarsus not specially compressed. 



* Legs exceedingly long ; tarsus as long as tail ; bill much 

 longer than head, slender, acute, and ciu-ved upwards ; feet 

 4-toed and jialmate, or 3-toed and semipalmate. 



Reoukvirostrid/b, 53. 



** Bill usually shorter than head, pigeon-like, the broad, soft 

 base separated by a constriction from the hard tip ; head 

 sub-globose, on a short neck; tiirsus reticulate; toes 3 

 (except in Sqimtarola). . . . Charadriid.s;, 51. 



*** Bill usually longer Uian head, mostly grooved, not con- 

 stricted, softish to its tip ; tarsus scutellate ; toes 4 (except 

 in Oalidris) Scolopacid^, 55. 



**** Not as above; bill hard, either compressed and truncate, 

 or acute; feet 4toed and cleft, or 3-toed and semipalmate. 



H^MATOPODID^, 53. 



N. FAMILIES OF HERODIONES. 



I. Bill long, straight, acute ; middle claw pectinate. AKDEiDiE, 56. 



II. Bill ciuTed downwards, or else flat and spoon-shaped. 



TamtaliD/B, 57. 



0. FAMILIES OF ALECTORIDBS. 



I. Very large ; length 36 or more, with excessively long neck and 



legs ; toes shorter than tarsus ; bill contracted at the middle. 



GKUiD.as, 58. 



II. Smaller, length 18 or less, with comparatively short neck and 



legs ; toes as long as tarsus ; bill not contracted. 



Rallid^, 59. 



