345 
of the United States. 
Traced all over the world. Formed of four species, one 
in each quarter of the globe. In form and especially habits, 
closely allied to the Family of the Limicolae, in which it may 
be placed with propriety, in the small collateral branch of its 
near relation Himantopus. Also much allied to the Phala- 
ropes ! They would form a very natural small family, to 
which might be united Himantopus, the family of Limicolse 
remaining then perfectly natural and uninterrupted. 
280. Recurvirostra Americana, L. White, tail tinged with 
cinereous ; back and wings black ; whole head and neck 
pale rufous. 
American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana , Wils. vii. p. 12 6 . 
pi. 63. fig. 2 . 
Inhabits during summer the United States, where it breeds : 
not very common : winters in tropical America. 
61. PLATALEA. 
Platalea , L. Gm. Lath. III. Cuv. Temm. Vieill. Ranz. 
Platen , Briss . 
Bill very long, large, flexible, straight, much flattened 
throughout, dilated and orbicular at the point, covered by a 
skin wrinkled, knotted, and scaly at base; both mandibles fur- 
nished internally with dense symmetrical striae, and a channel 
denticulated on its borders ; upper deeply furrowed each side 
from the base round the end, terminated by a hooked nail : 
nostrils in the furrow, basal, approximated, oblong, open, 
margined by a membrane : tongue very short, slender, trian- 
gular, acute. Head moderate, more or less naked ; bare 
skin of the throat dilatable ; eyes moderate, placed high near 
the base of the bill ; orbits naked : neck rather long and slen- 
der : body rather plump. Tarsus but little longer than the 
middle toe, robust ; fore toes long, webs very deeply indented; 
hind toe elongated, articulated nearly on a level with the 
rest, bearing on the ground nearly its whole length ; nails 
