THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 23 



outer edges mottled with reddish. The sides of the neck are grey, tinged 

 with red; the lower parts in general light red, tinged with grey on the 

 breast, on the sides and lower wing-coverts deeper; the lower tail-coverts 

 with a central dusky line, and the tip white. 



Length to end of tail 11 inches, to end of wings 9^; wing from flexure 

 5i; tail 2 T y, bill along the ridge 2 T \, along the edge of lower mandible 2f|; 

 tarsus l T y, middle toe 1 T 5 2, its claw i. Weight 6i oz. 



Adult Female. 



The female, which is considerably larger, has the same colours as the male. 



Length to end of tail 11 T 7 2, to end of wings IO/25 to end of claws 13^; 

 wing from flexure 5 T %; tail 2 T \; bill along the ridge 2j§; along the edge of 

 lower mandible 2f|; tarsus 1^; middle toe 2 T 5 2, its claw i. Weight 8^ oz. 



Young fledged. 



The young, when fully fledged, is similar to the old female. 



Genus VIII.— RECUR VIROSTRA, Linn. AVOCET. 



Bill twice the length of the head, very slender, much depressed, tapering 

 to a point, and slightly recurved; upper mandible with the dorsal line 

 straight for half its length, then a little curved upwards, and at the tip 

 slightly decurved, the ridge broad and flattened, the edges rather thick; 

 nasal groove rather long and very narrow; lower mandible with the angle 

 long and very narrow, the dorsal line slightly curved upwards, the point 

 very slender, extremely thin, and a little curved upwards. Nostrils linear, 

 basal. Head small, rounded above, rather compressed; neck long; body 

 compact. Legs very long, slender; tibia bare for half its length, and re- 

 ticulated; tarsus very long, compressed, reticulated with hexagonal scales; 

 toes rather short, the first extremely small; outer toe a little longer than 

 inner; anterior toes connected by webs of which the anterior margin is 

 deeply concave. Claws very small, compressed, rather acute. Plumage 

 soft and blended. Wings long, pointed, the first quill longest; inner secon- 

 daries elongated and tapering. Tail short, even, of twelve rather narrow 



