32S 
of the United States . 
at tip : nails compressed, curved, acute. Wings moderate; 
first primary longest. Tail generally short, of twelve feathers. 
Female similar to the male, somewhat larger. Young 
differ but little from the adult in winter plumage. Moult 
twice in the year, changing somewhat. 
Live in flocks, some species solitary, in damp meadows, 
near water, preferring river shores and fresh water marshes; 
wade deeply. Migrate according to season. Feed on in- 
sects, mollusca, which they seek on hard ground, among 
gravel, or in hard bottomed rivulets, by means of their solid 
and less sensible bill. Breed socially among the grass near 
water. 
Spread all over the globe, many of the species themselves. 
Resembling each other closely, very difficult to distinguish 
without a thorough acquaintance. Closely allied to the genus 
Scolopax, by its subgenus Macrorampbus, to Lirnosa by our 
subgenus Glottis, and especially to Tringa by Machetes : 
well distinguished, however, by the union of the two charac- 
ters of the feet and bill. 
SUBGENUS /. CATOPTROPHORUS. 
Part of Chevaliers proprement dits : Temm, Part of Glot- 
tis , Nilsson, 
Bill straight, stout, solid almost its whole length, furrows 
only at the base, those of the lower mandible obliterated. 
Fore toes all connected at base by a membrane. 
Female conspicuously larger. 
Not only wade, but swim occasionally. 
259. Totanus semipalmatus, Temm. Rump white; lower wing 
coverts, black ; quills white, for two thirds of their length 
from the base. 
Summer plumage brownish, varied with blackish and 
whitish, beneath white, spotted with blackish : winter, light 
ash, beneath white. 
