TB\E BIRDS OF TRAVANCORE. 9 



Sub-family Hwmatopodinoe. 

 (276) Bjematopus ostralegus. — The Sea-pie or Oystercatcher. 



Blanford, No. 1450; Jerdon, No. 862. 

 The oystercatcher is- a more or less rare winter visitor to the coast. It 

 is generally found in small flocks of half a dozen or so, feeding on crust- 

 aceans mostly. 



Sub-family Totan'moe. 

 (277) Numenius arquata. — The Curlew. 

 Blanford, No. 1454 ; Jerdon, No. 877. 

 Like the last only found in the coast in winter, but n pt in any great 

 numbers. 



(278) Numenius phzeopus. — The Whimbrel. 

 Blanford, No. 1455 ; Jerdon, No. 878. 

 May be found in suitable places along the coast in fair numbers from 

 October to April. I have usually found it solitary. 



(279) Totanus hypoleucus. — The Common Sandpiper. 

 Blanford, No. 1460 ; Jerdon, No. 893. 

 One of the most widely spread of birds. It is common in the paddy 

 fields everywhere from September to May, usually in pairs or in small 

 parties of four or five ; on the margins of tanks or on the seashore 

 its clear piping note may be heard. 



(280) Totanus glareola. — The Wood Sandpiper. 

 Blanford, No. 1461 ; Jerdon, No. 891. 

 This is by far the commonest of the sandpipers, and may be found in 

 abundance in the wet paddy fields from August to May either solitary 

 or in flocks. 



(281) Totanus ochropus. — The Green Sandpiper. 



Blanford, No. 1462 ; Jerdon, No. 892. 



Not nearly so common as the last. It may generally be found in the 



winter months solitary about the borders of tanks or the beds of rivers. 



On one occasion I shot one in a swamp on the High Range at an 



elevation of 6,000 feet in January. 



(282) Totanus stagnatilis. — The Marsh Sandpiper or Little 



Greenshank. 

 Blanford, No. 1463 ; Jerdon, No. 895. 

 My collectors met with flocks of these birds on the seashore at Manaho- 

 dam Bar and at North Parur. They were in company with T. glottis. 

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