DuD 



Genus HIMANTOPUS. 



Himantojms, Brisson, Orn. v. p. 34 (1760). 



Charadrius apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 255 (1766). 



Macrotarsus apud Lacepede, Mem. de l'lnst. iii. p. 518 : an ix. (1801). 



Hypsibates apud Nitzsch in Ersch & Grub. Encycl. xvi. p. 150 (1827). 



The few species included in this genus inhabit the Palsearctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, Australian, 

 Nearctic, and Neotropical Regions, one species only being found within the limits of the Western 

 Palsearctic Region, where it occurs chiefly in the extreme southern portions. They frequent 

 shallow pools and lakes where there are no rushes or aquatic herbage, but the shores are bare 

 and open, and are found both where the soil is sandy and where it is muddy. They walk with 

 ease, taking somewhat dainty, slow steps, and wade a great deal, frequently in water that reaches 

 up to or beyond their knees. They are not generally shy ; but when disturbed they become very 

 wary and cautious. Their flight resembles that of the Avocets ; and, like them, they carry their 

 long legs stretched out far behind. Their call-note is a clear, loud, melodious whistle ; but, as a 

 rule, they are rather silent birds than otherwise. They feed on small insects, gnats, and flies, 

 which they obtain in damp localities, usually on the shores of lakes and pools. They breed in 

 company, several pairs having their nests in close proximity ; and their nests are mere depressions 

 in the ground, scantily lined with grass-bents, in which they deposit two, three, or four eggs, warm 

 stone-buff in colour, spotted and blotched with black and blackish brown. 



Himantopus candidus, the type of the genus, has the bill about twice as long as the head, 

 nearly straight, being very slightly recurved at the tip, about as broad as high at the base, and 

 gradually tapering to an acute point; tip of the upper mandible sharply decurved; nasal groove 

 extending about half the length of the bill; nostrils linear, subbasal, rather long, pervious; 

 wings very long, pointed, the first quill longest ; tail moderate, nearly even ; legs very long and 

 slender ; tibia bare for more than half its length ; tarsus very slender, covered with elongated 

 hexagonal scales ; toes three in number, the outer and middle toes connected by a web at the 

 base ; claws small, compressed, slightly curved, obtuse, that on the middle toe with the inner 

 edge slightly dilated. 



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