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PRRECOCIAL G-RALLATORES — LIMICOLiE. 
The numerous species of this genus vary greatly among themselves in the details of structure, 
although there is a general similarity of coloration throughout the group. The American species 
may be distinguished as follows : — 
YE. nivosa. 
A. Nape crossed by a more or less distinct white collar. 
a. Bill decidedly shorter than -middle toe, very stout (except in JE. curonica), the basal half 
light colored (orange or yellow) in adults, except in YE. curonica. 
a'. A distinct web between base of inner and middle toes. 
1. YE. semipalmata. Above, grayish brown ; forehead, ring round neck, and lower parts, 
white. In summer, fore part of crown, lores, and broad pectoral collar (continued round 
back of neck, below the white nuchal collar) black or dusky. In winter, these black 
markings replaced bj r grayish brown, like the back, etc. Young, like winter adults, but 
bill wholly black, and feathers of upper parts margined terminally with buff. Wing, 
about 4.50-4.75 ; culmen, .45-.50 ; depth of bill at base, .20 ; tarsus, .95 ; middle toe, 
.65-70. Hab. Nearly the whole of America. 
a”. No web between base of inner and middle toes. 
2. 2E. hiaticula. Colors of YE. semipalmata, but pectoral band broader. Wing, about 5.00 ; 
culmen, .50-55 ; depth of bill at base, .20-22 ; tarsus, 1.00 ; middle toe, .60-.65. 
Hab. Palmarctic Region and portions of Arctic America. 
3. YE. curonica. Similar to YE. hiaticula, but smaller and much more slender, especially 
the bill, which is always black ; middle of crown crossed by a more or less distinct 
whitish bar, immediately behind the black patch. Wing, 4.35-4.70; culmen, .50-52; 
depth of bill at base, .15-, L8 ; tarsus, 1.00-1.05 ; middle toe, .55-60. Hab. Palsearctic 
Region generally ; accidental in California and Alaska ? 
4. YE. meloda. Above, pale brownish gray ; forehead, lores, nuchal collar, and lower parts 
white. In summer, a band across fore part of crown, and one across each side of breast 
(the latter sometimes connected, so as to form a continuous pectoral band), black or 
dusky. In winter, these black' markings replaced bj r light brownish gray, and the bill 
almost entirely, or wholly, black. Young, like the winter plumage, but feathers of upper 
surface with distinctly paler terminal margins. Wing, 4.50-4.80 ; culmen, .45-50 ; depth 
of bill at base, .20-. 22 ; tarsus, .85-1.00 ; middle toe, .55. 
a. var. meloda. Black pectoral band wholly or partially interrupted in the middle por- 
tion. Hab. Atlantic coast of United States. 
/3. var. circumcinda. Black pectoral band entirely continuous. Hab. Missouri River Region 
of United States, straggling eastward. 
b. Bill much longer than the middle toe, very slender, wholly black. 
5. YE. alexandrina. Above, light brownish gray ; forehead, superciliaries, nuchal collar, 
and lower parts white. In summer, fore part of the crown, a transverse patch on each 
side of breast (and sometimes a loral streak), black or dusky ; pileum sometimes (espe- 
cially in adult males) buffy or rufescent. Bill, legs, and feet, black or dusky. 
