that connect the Orders and Families of Birds. 491 
cepede, which in its more slender bill bears an affinity to Eu- 
rypyga, from whence we commenced our inquiries into the 
family. | 
Proceeding in the same course of observation, we may trace 
out the distinction between the family of Scolopacide and the 
groups we have just quitted, in the weakness and elevation of the 
hinder toe, and the slenderness and flexibility of the bill. The 
latter character is more particularly conspicuous in the typical 
species, which make use of the flexible bill in penetrating the 
mud and soft spongy marshes whence they extract the worms, 
insects, smaller mollusca, and animalcula, that chiefly constitute 
their food. The family is united to the Ardeide by means of 
Numenius, Briss., which approaches Jéis most closely in its bill. 
By means also of the immediate connexion of Ibis with the ge- 
nera Eurypyga and Aramus, the Scolopacide preserve their affi- 
nity to those groups, with which indeed their appearance has 
generally associated them. This may be inferred from the ge- 
neric or specific name originally conferred upon each of these 
groups; the former genus being formed of the Scolopax helias of 
M. Pallas, or the Caurale Snipe of Dr. Latham's Synopsis ; and 
the latter of the Ardea scolopacea of Linnæus. We cannot have 
a more accurate guide through the affinities of this extensive 
family than M. Temminck, whose opportunities of observing the 
habits and characters of the birds of the present order have been 
so extensive, and whose ability and industry in improving these 
opportunities have been so fully exerted, as to leave little room 
for further observation on the subject, as far at least as regards 
the European species. Following his views, with some slight 
modification, we may remark, that from Numenius we pass on to 
Totanus, Briss., the bill of which, comparatively robust at the 
point, holds a middle situation between the strong bill of that 
genus and the entirely flexible bill of Limosa, Briss. The genus 
VOL. XIV. 3s Recur- 
