BIRDS — RECURVIROSTillDAE — RECDRVIROSTRA AMERICANA. 



Family RECURVIEOSTRIDAE. 



703 



The Becurvirostridae, in addition to the features already mentioned, are essentially char 

 acterized by the excessive length of the legs, with a very long, slender neck and slender 

 elongated bill. Of the several genera assigned the family, but two belong to the United 

 States, with the following features : 



Ebcurvib,ostka. — Hind toe present. Toes webbed to the claws. Bill recurved at tip. 



HiMANTOPUS. — Hind toe wanting. A short web between middle and outer toes at base. Bill 

 straight. 



RECUR VIROSTRA, Linnaeus. 



Recurvirostra, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1744. Type R. avocetta, L. (Gkat.) 

 Ch. — Hind toe rudimentary ; anterior toes united to the claws by a much emarginated membrane. Bill depressed, extended 

 into a fine point, which is recurved. Tail covered by the wings. 



BECURVIROSTEA AMERICANA, Gm. 



American Avosit. 



Recurvirostra amencana, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 693.— Wils. Am. Oru. VII, 1813, 126.— Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 

 375.— NuTT. Man. II, 78.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 168 ; pi. 318.— Ib. Syn. 252.— Ib. 

 Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 247 ; pi. 353. 

 Recurvirostra occidentalis, Vigors, Zool. Jour. IV, 1829, 356. — Ib. Zool. Blossom, 1839, 28 ; pi. xii.— Wagleb, Isis, 

 1831, 520.— Baird, Zool. Stansbury, Salt Lake, 1852.— Cassin, Illust. I, viii, 1855, 

 232, pi. xl. 

 FiGuBES. — Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 63, fig. 2. Aud. B. of Am. pi. 318 ; oct. ed. vi. pi. 353. Latham, Synopsis, V, 

 pi. 92. Leach, Zool. Misc. II, pi. 101. Voy. Blossom, Birds, pi. 12. Cassin, B. of Cal. and Texas, pi. 40. (Young.) 



Sp. Ch. — Bill rather long, depressed ; wings long ; legs long ; tarsi compressed ; tail short. Jldult : Head and neck pale 

 reddish brown, darker on the head and fading gradually into white. Back, wing coverts and quills black ; scapulars, tips of 

 greater wing coverts, rump and tail and entire under parts white, the last frequently tinged with reddish. Bill brownish black, 

 legs bluish. Yourig : very similar to the adult, but with the head and neck white, frequently tinged with ashy on the head and 

 neck behind. Total length, about 17 inches ; wing, 8j to 9 ; tail, 3j ; bill to gape, 3^ ; tarsus, 3j inches, 

 flifti— All of temperate North America ; Florida (Mr. Wurdemann.) 



Appears to inhabit the whole of North America to the Arctic regions ; more abundant on the 

 western coast. In the present collection we find numerous specimens in all stages of plumage, 

 and have no doubt that B. occidentalis, Vigors, is the young bird as given above. 



List of specimens. 



