138 
RECURVIROSTRA AMERICANA. 
frequents the shallow pools in the salt marshes; 
about, ofteji to the belly, in search of food ; viz. j 
worms, snails, and various insects that abound a®'’ 
the soft muddy bottoms of the pools. 
The male ot this .species is ei;rhteen inches and a.jlj 
longf, aiid two feet and a half in extent ; the h'l' i 
black, four inches in length, flat above, the 
curvature upwards, except at the extremity, ,l 
bends slightly down, ending in an extremely tine p*^* i| 
irides, reddish hazel ; whole head, neck, and hre!'-''|,i 
light sorrel colour; round the eye, and on the '''V 
nearly white ; upper part of the back and wings, I'l^Vi 
scapulars, and almost the whole back, nhite, tli»J 
generally concealed by the black of the upper 
belly, vent, and thighs, pure white; tail, equal 
end, white, veiy slightly tinged with cinereous ; 
dusky brown ; greater coverts, tipt with white ; sf'y 
daries, white on their outer edges, and nhole 
vanes ; rest of the wing, deep black ; naked part 
thighs, two aiid^ a half inches ; legs, four inches, 
of a very pale light blue, exactly formed, thiniieil'^ 
netted, like those of the long legs ; feet, half 
the outer membrane somewhat the broadest ; the'^,,! 
a very slight hind toe, w'hich, claw and all, doe^ V 
exceed a quarter of an inch in length. In thes*’ ^ 
latter circumstances alone it ditfers from the lou? ’ 
hut is in every other strikingly alike. .J 
The temale w as tw'o inches shorter, and three 
extent ; the head and neck a much paler rufous, n* i 
almost to white on the breast, and separated fr<’"' J 
black of the back by a broader band of white ; **'Oi 
was three inches and a half long ; the leg half a" 'Jf 
shorter; in every other respect marked as the^ 
olie contained a great number of eggs, some <>f '..[(li 
nearly ready for exclusion. The stomach '"•as ^ f‘ 
with small nails, periwinkle shell fish, some 
mossy vegetable food, and a number of aquatic 
The intestines were infested with tape worms, 
number of smaller bot-like w^orms, some of 
wallowed in the cavity of the abdomen. 
