KEY TO FAMILIES. 



47 



Order IX. liimicolae.— Phalaropes, Snipes, Plovers, etc. 



TuL-s four, or (Plovers) three; the hind toe, when present, less than liulf 

 the lenu-th of the inner one, and always elevated above the others; letj.s 

 generally lony and slender, the lower half of the tibia? bare; bill, exeept 

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

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

 erallv the longest. 



Fig. 26. 



I. Tarsus over 3-50. . . . Fnunly L'ecuri'irostridin: Stilts and A vooets,, 

 p. 149. 



II. Tarsus under .3'.50. 



A. Sidesof the toes with lobes or webs. . . . F-Mnily PJialanij/ocluhe : 

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



B. Sides of the toes without lobed webs. 



a. Toes four (e.fcept in the Sauderling) ; front of the tarsus with 

 transverse, more or less square, scales. . . . Family jSVo/o/Jutv'iAi' ; 

 Snipes, Sandpipers, etc. (Fig. 2.5, a, h\ Fig. 26, i, <■), p. 150. 



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

 Family Aphrizidm: Turn.stone.s, etc., ]<. 176. 



c. Toes tliree (except in the Black-bellied Plover): front of the 

 tarsus with small, rounded scales. 



fi. Bill under 2-00. . . . V'a.mWy Charudriida:: Plovers (Fig. 2.5, 



e. d\ Fig. 26, '/, f), p. 171. 

 (fl. Bill over 2-00. . . . Y axmXy HmnatojiodidiZ: Oyster-catchers, 



p, 177. 



