74 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Family EBCURVIROSTRID^.— The Avocets and Stilts. 



The Recwrvwostridm; in addition to the features already men- 

 tioned (see p. 19), are characterized by the excessive length of 

 the legs, with very long slender neck an'd subulate, elongated 

 billl The plumage has the same dense, soft character as that 

 of the Phala/ropocUdcB, Fidicinoe, and Longipen/nes. 



Genera. 



A. Hind toe present. 



1. BecuTvirostra. Anterior toes all webbed ; bill recurved. 



B. Hind toe wanting. 



2, Himantoims. No web between middle and inner toes, and web between outer and 

 middle toes quite small; biU slightly upturned from the middle, cylindrical or 

 scarcely depressed ; tarsus much longer than the bill. 



Genus RECURVIROSTRA Linnjeus. 



Becurvirostra Linn. Syst. Nat. ed, 10, i, 1738, 151. Type, B. avosetta Linn. 



OHA.B. Hind toe rudimentary, but distinct; anterior toes united by a much emarginated 

 membrane. B^ depressed, decidedly recurved, extended into a fine point, which is slightly 

 deonrved. ' Tail covered by the wings. 



The species of Avocet are few in number, there being one pe- 

 culiar to North America, South America, Australia, and Europe 

 respectively. 



Recurvirostra americana Gmel. 



AMEBICAN AVOCEI. ' 



Popular synonymB. White Snipe (Salt Lake Valley); Yelper; Lawyer; Seooper. 

 Becurvirostra americana Gmbx. S. N. ed. 13, i, 1788, 693.— Wilson, Am. Orn. vii, 1813 126 

 pi. 63, Hg. 9.— NUTT. Man. ii, 1834, 75.— AuD. Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 168, pi. 318; Synop. I839I252; 

 Birds Am. vi, 1843, 24, pi. 363.— Baied, Birds N. Am. 1858, 703; Oat. N. Am. B. 1859, No.' 

 517.— OouBS, Key, 1872, 147; Check List, 1873, No. 407; 2d ed. 1882, No. 600.— BiDGwl 

 Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 666; Man,N. Am. B. 188?, 146.— B. B. & E. Water B. N. Am. i" 

 1884, 341.— A. 0. XJ. Check List, 1886, No. 225. * 



Recurvirostra oooidentalis ViG. Zool. Jour, iv, 1829, 356 ; Zool. Voy. Blossom, 1839 28 pi 

 12.— Cass. lUustr. B, Cal, Tex,, etc.. 186B. 232, pi. 40t=wlnter pluwagei), 



