BIRDS— RECURVIROSTRIDAE— RECORVIROSTRA AMERICANA. 
703 
Family RECURVIROSTRIDAE. 
The Eecurvirostridae, in addition to the features already mentioned, are essentially char 
acterized by the excessive length of the legs, with a very long, slender neck and slender 
elongated bill. Of the several genera assigned the family, but two belong to the United 
States, with the following features : 
Recurvirostra. — Hind toe present. Toes webbed to the claws. Bill recurved at tip. 
Himantopus. — Hind toe wanting. A short web between middle and outer toes at base. Bill 
straight. 
RECUR VIROSTRA, Linnaeus. 
Recurvirostra, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1744. Type R. avocetta, L. (Gray.) 
Ch. — Hind toe rudimentary ; anterior toes united to the claws by a much emarginated membrane. Bill depressed, extended 
into a fine point, which is recurved. Tail covered by the wings. 
RECURVIROSTRA AMERICANA, Gm. 
American Avosit. 
Recurvirostra amcricana, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 693.— Wils. Am. Orn. VII, 1813, 126.— Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 
375.— Nutt. Man. II, 78.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 168 ; pi. 318.— Ib. Syn. 252.— Ib. 
Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 247 ; pi. 353. 
Recurvirostra occidentalis , Vigors, Zool. Jour. IV, 1829, 356.— Ib. Zool. Blossom, 1839, 28 ; pi. xii.— Wagler, Isis, 
1831, 520.— Baird, Zool. Stansbury, Salt Lake, 1852.— Cassin, Must. I, vm, 1855, 
232, pi. xl. 
Figures.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 63, fig. 2. Aud. B. of Am. pi. 318 ; oct. ed. vi. pi. 353. Latham, Synopsis, V, 
pi. 92. Leach, Zool. Misc. II, pi, 101. Voy. Blossom, Birds, pi. 12. Cassin, B. of Cal. and Texas, pi. 40. (Young.) 
Sp. Ch. — Bill rather long, depressed ; wings long ; legs long ; tarsi compressed ; tail short, rfdult : Head and neck pale 
reddish brown, darker on the head and fading gradually into white. Back, wing coverts and quills black ; scapulars, tips of 
greater wing coverts, rump and tail and entire under parts white, the last frequently tinged with reddish. Bill brownish black, 
legs bluish. Young : very similar to the adult, but with the head and neck white, frequently tinged with ashy on the head and 
neck behind. Total length, about 17 inches ; wing, 8| to 9 ; tail, 3| ; bill to gape, 3| ; tarsus, 3i inches. 
Hab. — All of temperate North America ; Florida (Mr. Wurdemann.) 
Appears to inhabit the whole of North America to the Arctic regions ; more abundant on the 
western coast. In the present collection we find numerous specimens in all stages of plumage, 
and have no doubt that B. occidentalis, Vigors, is the young bird as given above. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by- 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
4260 
4549 
Platte riverjbel. Ft. Laramie 
Sept. 6, 1855 
Aug. 12 
8772 
3 
Dr. Cooper 
16.50 
29.25 
9.00 
8771 
15.25 
29.00 
6635 
3 
July 20, 1853 
Dr. Suckley.... 
13.12 
30.60 
9.50 
7064 
7062 
8 
318 
8 
W. slope of Med. Bow . . . 
July 23, 1857 
July 30, 1856 
do 
317 
5446 
6633 
8 
Dr. Hayden 
18.00 
28.00 
8.50 
4174 
8 
Brazos Santiago, Texas. . 
18.00 
28.00 
9.00 
4980 
Dona Ana, N. M 
J.XantusdeVesey 
18.00 
31.00 
10.00 
Eye dark, bill black, feel 
bluish green. 
10410 
4507 
San Francisco 
8071 
Sept. — , 1836 
