244 AVES : LIMICOL^. — XXXVIII. 



384. RBCURVIROSTRA Linnaeus. (Lat. recurvus, bent 

 upward; rostrum, beak.) 



753. R. americana Gmelin. Avocet. Blue Stocking. 

 White, with cinnamon brown on head and neck, the wings mostly 

 black ; legs blue. L. 18. W. 8^. T. 3^. B. 3^. Ts. 3|. N.Am. 



385. HIMANTOPUS Brisson. (iiiavroTrovs, strap-leg.) 



754. H. mezicanus (Miiller). Stilt, Long Shanks. Law- 

 yer. Glossy black above, white below ; tail ashy; 5 slaty; legs 

 pink. L. 15. W. 9. T. 3. Ts. 4. B. 2f N. Am. 



Family CXLV. SCOLOPACID^. (The Snipe.) 

 Bill elongated, usually longer than the head ; if short, not plover- 

 like, being soft-skinned throughout (hard when dry) ; nasal grooves 

 in the form of narrow channels ranging from half to nearly the 

 whole length of the bill ; sides of lower mandible usually also 

 grooved; nostrils narrow exposed slits; head feathered. Wings 

 usually thin and pointed; tail short and soft; tibia rarely entirely 

 feathered. Tarsus never entirely reticulate and usually scutellate 

 in front and behind; hind toe present (except in Calidris) ; front 

 toes cleft or slightly webbed; size medium or small. Sexes alike 

 or female slightly larger; seasonal changes in plumage often 

 strongly marked. Eggs usually four, placed with the small ends 

 together in a slight nest or depression in the ground ; notes vari- 

 ous; mostly migratory or gregarious. Genera about 20; species 

 100 ; chiefly of northern regions, but not wanting in most parts of 

 the world. (o-KoXd7ra|, snipe.) 



a. Tarsus scutellate behind as well as in front; bill not strongly decurved. 

 h. Eyes far back, directly above the ears ; bill long; tip of upper mandible 

 thickened; plumage unchanging. (ScolopaciTKs.) 

 u. Tibia entirely feathered ; 3 outer primaries attenuate ; toes not webbed. 



Philohela, 386i 

 cc. Tibia naked below ; no attenuate primaries. . . Gai^linago, 387. 

 bb. Eyes not far back, considerably before the ears; tip of upper mandible 

 thin; summer and winter plumage different. (Tringince,) 

 d. Toes not webbed at all (or with a single minute web). 



e. Hind toe wanting Calidris, 392. 



ee. Hind toe present, 

 y. Bill not shorter than middle toe with claw; (inner webs of quills 



not mottled) Tringa, 390. 



jy. Bill shorter than middle toe with claw ; ( inner webs ot quills 



mottled) Thyngites, 397. 



dd. Toes more or less webbed at base. 



y. Tail graduated, more than half wing. . . Bakteamia, 396. 

 gg. Tail not more than half wing, little graduated. 



A. Tail longer than bill (from frontal feathers); gape reaching 

 beyond base of culmen. 



