KEY TO FAMILIES. 



47 



Order IX. IiimicolsB. — Phalaeopes, Snipes, Plovers, etc. 



Toes four, or (Plovers) three; the hind toe, when present, less than half 

 the length of the inner one, and always elevated above the others ; legs 

 generally long and slender, the lower half of the tibise bare ; bill, except 

 in the Plovers, generally long, slender, and soft, the nostrils opening 

 through slits or grooves ; wings long and pointed, the first primary gen- 

 erally the longest. 



Fig. 26. 



I. Tarsus over 3-50. . . . Family Becunirostridce : Stilts and Avocets, 

 p. 149. 



II. Tarsus under 3'50. 



A. Sides of the toes with lohea or webs. . . . Y amAy Phalaropodida: 



Phalaropes (Fig. 26, a), p. 147. 

 £. Sides of the toes without lobed webs. 



a. Toes four (except in the Sanderling) ; front of the tarsus with 

 transverse, more or less square, scales. . . . Family Scolopacidce : 

 Snipes, Sandpipers, etc. (Fig. 25, a, b ; Fig. 26, i, c), p. 150. 



b. "Whole lower back white, a black band across the rump. . . . 

 Family ApTwizidce ; Turnstones, etc., p. 176. 



V. Toes three (except in the Black-bellied Plover) ; front of the 

 tarsus with small, rounded scales. 

 cK Bill under 2-00. . . . Family Charadriidce ; Plovers (Fig. 25, 



c.d; Fig. 26, rf, «), p. 171. 

 A Bill over 2'00. . . . Family HamMopodida : Oyster-oatohebs, 



p. 177. 



