246 
TOWNSEND’S OYSTER-CATCHER. 
hexagonal scales ; toes rather short and fleshy, the hind toe wanting, the 
second shorter than the fourth, the third considerably longer, all scaly at 
the base above, scutellate towards the end, flattened and broad beneath, 
with thick margins, and connected at the base by short webs, of which the 
outer is longer. Claws rather small, compressed, blunt, that of the middle 
toe largest, with a somewhat dilated thin inner edge. 
Plumage of the head and neck short and blended, of the back rather com- 
pact, and slightly glossed, the lower parts blended, the feathers in general 
ovate and rounded. Wings long, acute ; primaries tapering toward the end, 
but obtuse, the first longest, the second two-twelfths shorter, and exceeding 
the third by three-twelfths ; secondaries broad and rounded, the inner much 
elongated and tapering. Tail short, nearly even, of twelve rather broad, 
rounded feathers, of which the lateral are scarcely shorter than the middle. 
Bill vermilion, paler toward the end. Edges of eyelids vermilion; iris 
yellow. Feet blood-red, claws dusky. The plumage is chocolate-brown, 
darker and tinged with bluish-grey on the head, neck, and breast ; the 
under surface of the quills light brownish-grey, their shafts whitish. Many 
of the upper wing-coverts are narrowly tipped with brownish-white. 
Length to end of tail 20 inches ; bill along the ridge ; along the edge 
of lower mandible 3 T 4 2, its greatest height beyond the nostrils Jf- ; wing 
from flexure 11 ; tail 4^ ; tarsus 2 r 5 2 ; inner toe ff, its claw T 3 | ; middle 
toe Ilf, its claw T s f ; outer toe l r 7 2 , its claw T 4 f. 
This species is larger than the preceding, but its plumage is similar in 
texture and colouring. Besides its much greater size, it differs in the form 
of the bill, which is much longer, much deeper, more compressed, and dis- 
tinctly ascending or slightly recurvate, the lower mandible especially, 
which in the other is quite straight. The former species also has the feet 
white, and the claws pale, whereas in this they seem to have been red, with 
the claws dusky. 
