312 LIMICOL^ 



number and are sometimes fully webbed, sometimes not webbed, 

 but more often partially webbed. 



The anatomical characters are as follows : Skull schizognathous, 

 and usually schizorhinal, basipterygoid processes present or absent, 

 sternum usually with two notches ; contour-feathers with an after- 

 shaft ; no fifth cubital remex to the wing ; cseca present, as a rule ; 

 oil gland tufted ; two carotids ; hallux, if present, connected with the 

 flexor longus hallucis, and not with the flexor perforans digitorum. 



The Limicolee appear to be allied, on the one hand, to the Gulls, 

 and on the other to be connected through the Stone Plovers with 

 the Bustards ; inde.ed, many authors remove the Stone Plovers 

 altogether from the present Order and place them with the Otides. 



The South African representatives of this Order are arranged 

 here in five families, while two others already mentioned do not come 

 within our purview. The bulk of the genera and species, however, all 

 fall into one of these families, the Gharadriidcs, so that it is necessary, 

 for purposes of convenience, to divide this again into sub-families. 



Key of Genera. 



A, Tarsus covered with hexagonal scales before 

 and behind, no transverse scutes, 

 a. A small hind toe present, 

 a'. Bill very long, more than twice the length 

 of the middle toe and claw, mandible up- 

 curved at the tip Becurvirostra, p. 382. 



6'. Bill about as long as the middle toe and 



claw, oulmen nearly straight, not up-curved Squatarola., p. 359. 

 6. No hind toe. 

 a'. With a distinct dertrum, or swelling, at the 

 tip of the mandibles, 

 a'. A sharp-pointed carpal spur at the bend 



of the wing Hoplopterus, p. 351. 



V. Carpal spur represented by a blunt pro- 

 jection only. 

 a'. Inner secondaries broad and rounded ; 

 distance between the shortest secon- 

 dary and the longest primary not 



equal to half the length of the wing... Stephanibyx, p. 354. 

 6'. Inner secondaries long and pointed; 

 distance between the shortest secon- 

 dary and the longest primary more 



than half the length of the wing ^gialitis, p. 361. 



¥, With no dertrum. 

 a^. Bill compressed and stout, longer than 



the tarsus Hcematopus, p. 377. 



