* 
3380 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
rounded (nearly truncate), the middle pair of rectrices very slightly, 
if at all, projecting; rectrices 12. Tarsus one-third as long as wing, 
continuously transversely scutellate both anteriorly and posteriorly; 
bare portion of tibia about as long as middle toe without claw, also 
transversely -scutellate before and behind; lateral toes decidedly 
shorter than middle toe, the outer decidedly longer than the inner; 
hallux much elevated, about half as long as basal phalanx of middle 
toe; web between outer and middle toes extending for about half the 
length of basal phalanx of the latter, that between inner and middle 
toe very small (less than half as large); anterior toes with lateral 
membranes slightly developed except toward base. 
Coloration.—Above, including lower back and rump, gray,-more or 
less spotted with white and in summer plumage spotted with black 
also; upper tail-coverts white, the posterior ones barred with dusky; 
tail barred with white and dusky, the middle rectrices grayish; under 
parts mostly immaculate white, the foreneck streaked, the chest irregu- 
larly spotted, the sides irregularly barred with blackish (in summer). 
Range.—Northern North America, migrating to West Indies and 
Central and South America. (Two species.) 
In view of recent dismemberment of the old genus Totanus (a pro- 
cedure which seems to me quite justifiable) I have no other alternative 
than to designate a new genus for the two American species formerly 
referred to Totanus. Mr. Gregory Mathews (Birds of Australia, iii, 
1913, 198) refers T. melanoleucus to Glottis and T. flavipes to 
Thorns; but most certainly these two species are strictly congeneric 
(in fact if it were not for the difference in size it would be almost im- 
possible to distinguish them!), and neither fit at all well into the 
genera to which Mr. Mathews refers them. T. flavipes certainly is 
not strictly congeneric with Iliornis stagnatilis, as Mr. Mathews says 
itis. The latter has the bill relatively much longer and more slender 
(more than three-fourths as long as tarsus instead of only about 
two-thirds as long), with the nasal groove decidedly less than half as 
long as the maxilla; the tarsus much more than one-third as long as 
wing, and the coloration decidedly dissimilar. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES OF NEOGLOTTIS. 
a. Larger (wing 180-199, exposed culmen 52-61, tarsus 55-68 mm.). (Whole of Amer- 
ica, breeding northward.) ..........22-...-22+. Neoglottis melanoleuca (p. 330). 
aa. Smaller (wing 149-163, exposed culmen 30-39, tarsus 45. 5-55. 5 mm.), (Whole 
of America, breeding northward.)................. Neoglottis flavipes (p. 337). 
NEOGLOTTIS MELANOLEUCA (Gmelin). 
GREATER YELLOW-LEGS. : 
Adults in breeding plumage (sexes alike)—Pileum and hindneck 
streaked with blackish and white or grayish white, the former pre- 
dominating, at least on pileum; scapulars and interscapulars black 
