576 The IVater-fowl Family 



covered with fleshy tubercles, and neck with a ruff of long feathers. 

 One species in genus, a straggler in North America. 



Bartramia. Size medium. Bill straight, shorter than head. Nasal 

 groove extending nearly to tip. Tarsus very long, longer than bill 

 and twice the length of inner toe and claw, and one and one-half 

 times middle toe. Bare part of tibia equal to about one-half length 

 of tarsus. Outer and middle toes connected by a web. Tail more 

 than half as long as wing. Feathers extend farther on upper than on 

 lower jaw. One species in genus, belonging to North America. 



Tryngites. Size small. Bill straight, shorter than head. Nasal 

 groove extending nearly to tip. Tarsus short, longer than culmen 

 and about equal to middle toe with claw. Toes cleft to base. Tail 

 not half as long as wing. Feathers extend farther on lower than on 

 upper jaw. Inner webs of quills and under primary-coverts beauti- 

 fully mottled. One species in genus, belonging in North America. 



Actilis. Size small. Bill straight, medium, slightly longer than 

 head. Maxilla and mandible grooved. Nasal groove extending three- 

 fourths to tip. Tarsus short, about equal to middle toe and claw and to 

 bill. Toes long, middle toe connected to outer by large web and with 

 inner by small web. Bare part of tibia scarcely exceeding hind toe 

 and claw. Tail not more than half as long as wing, but longer than 

 exposed culmen. Two species in genus, only one found in North 

 America. 



Numenius. Size large. Bill strongly decurved, always long but 

 varying ; longer than tarsus and sometimes than tarsus and middle 

 toe. Tip of upper mandible extending beyond lower. Nasal groove 

 often extending through basal three-fourths of bill. Tarsus moderate 

 in length and covered in front with transverse scales, and behind with 

 small, hexagonal scales. Web between middle and outer toes to first 

 joint, between middle and inner half as far. Hind toe small. Feathers 

 of chin extending to opposite anterior end of nostrils. Of the eight 

 species and one subspecies in this genus, three are natives of North 

 America, two and perhaps three others occurring irregularly. 

 Family Charadriidae. The Plovers. The largest family of shore-birds 

 after the Scolopacidce, swift flying, congregating like the sandpipers 

 in large flocks and found like them throughout the world. The 

 fourteen species and two subspecies recorded from North America 

 are grouped in five genera. 

 Family Type. Size small or medium. Nostrils oval, short. Nasal 

 groove closed obtusely and abruptly and not extending beyond middle 

 of maxilla, or shallowing out broadly. Bill rather short, compressed 



