BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 27 
Very large, stoutly-built Charadrii (wing 237-280 mm.) with bill 
longer than tarsus, compressed distally, the tip truncate or subtrun- 
eate (in lateral profile); tarsi covered, all round, with small hexa- 
gonal scales, and basal portion of both interdigital spaces distinctly 
webbed. 
Bill decidedly longer than tarsus, sometimes very slightly upturned 
for terminal half (though usually straight), more or less compressed, 
except basally, its depth at gonydeal angle equal to one and a half 
times to more than twice its width at same point; culmen more than 
one-fourth to very nearly one-third as long as wing, nearly straight, 
the basal portion (mesorhinium) more or less ascending basally ; max- 
illary tomium nearly straight, sometimes faintly convex, the tip of 
maxilla (in lateral profile) rounded or truncate; mandibular tomium 
nearly straight (sometimes faintly concave distally), the gonys some- 
times straight, sometimes faintly but distinctly convex, its base usu- 
ally more or less prominent, sometimes forming a distinct angle; 
tip of mandible (in lateral profile) obtusely pointed to nearly trun- 
cate; maxilla with a broad, shallow lateral groove, extending some- 
times to half way between loral feathering and tip, but usually much 
less, the proximal portion (nasal fossa) occupied by membrane, in 
the lower edge of which is placed the narrow, longitudinal, subbasal 
nostril. Wing long and pointed, the longest primaries extending 
decidedly beyond tips of longest tertials; outermost primary longest 
or, rarely, the two outermost longest and of equal length. Tail 
between one-third and one-half as long as wing, truncate or very 
slightly rounded; rectrices twelve. Tarsus stout, a little shorter 
than length of maxilla from nostril, covered all round with small 
hexagonal scales; middle toe, without claw, decidedly more than 
half to nearly three-fourths as long as tarsus, the lateral toes decidedly 
shorter, the inner shorter than the outer; hallux entirely absent; 
anterior toes with a well-developed thick and rough lateral mem- 
brane, the basal portion of interdigital spaces distinctly webbed, the 
web between middle and outer toes extending sometimes to second 
articulation of middle toe, that between middle and inner toes much 
smaller, sometimes very slightly developed. 
Coloration—Plumage particolored or pied (black and white or 
black, grayish brown and white, in large sharply contrasting areas) 
or wholly black or dark sooty brown; bill and naked eye-ring brightly 
colored (red, orange, or yellow) in life. 
Range.—Seacoasts nearly throughout the world. (About fourteen 
species and subspecies.) 
KEY TO THE AMERICAN SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF HASMATOPUS. 
a. Plumage parti-colored or pied (under parts of body white, and with white on wings 
and tail). 
d. Entire rump and lower back white. (Hamatopus ostralegus.) 
