THE AMERICAN" WOODCOCK. 
23 
outer edges mottled with reddish. The sides of the neck are grey, tinged 
with red ; the lower parts in general light red, tinged with grey on the 
breast, on the sides and lower wing-coverts deeper ; the lower tail-coverts 
with a central dusky line, and the tip white. 
Length to end of tail 11 inches, to end of wings 9 J ; wing from flexure 
5i ; tail 2 T 4 2 ; bill along the ridge 2 T 8 2> along the edge of lower mandible 
2 % ; tarsus I/2 ; middle toe. lfV , its claw W eight 6^ oz. 
Adult Female. 
The female, which is considerably larger, has the same colours as the male. 
Length to end of tail llxV, to end of wings IO/2, to end of claws 13 tV : 
wing from flexure 5 T 4 2 ; tail 2iV ; bill along the ridge ; along the edge 
of lower mandible 2 T 6 | ; tarsus 1 T 2 2 ; middle toe 2/2, its claw J. Weight 83 oz. 
Young fledged. 
The young, when fully fledged, is similar to the old female. 
Genus VIII.— RECURVIROSTRA, Linn . AVOCET. 
Bill twice the length of the head, very slender, much depressed, tapering 
to a point, and slightly recurved ; upper mandible with the dorsal line 
straight for half its length, then a little curved upwards, and at the tip 
slightly decurved, the ridge broad and flattened, the edges rather thick ; 
nasal groove rather long and very narrow ; lower mandible with the angle 
long and very narrow, the dorsal line slightly curved upwards, the point 
very slender, extremely thin, and a little curved upwards. Nostrils linear, 
basal. Head small, rounded above, rather compressed ; neck long ; body 
compact. Legs very long, slender ; tibia bare for half its length, and 
reticulated; tarsus very long, compressed, reticulated with hexagonal scales; 
toes rather short, the first extremely small ; outer toe a little longer than 
inner ; anterior toes connected by webs of which the anterior margin is 
deeply concave. Claws very small, compressed, rather acute. Plumage 
soft and blended. Wings long, pointed, the first quill longest ; inner secon- 
daries elongated and tapering. Tail short, even, of twelve rather narrow 
