50 Hljtl) <;.VLLEUV. 



Family III. Attagid.k. Seed-Snipes. 



[Case 27.1 This is aiiotlicT aljerraut j^roup of tlie Plover-tribe, peculiar to vSoutli 

 Ann I'iea. Two distinct i;eiiera are recof;iiised, each of which is repre- 

 sented m the Case. Gay's Seed-Snipe (Attuf/is f/ai/i) (466j and 

 D'Orbifiny's Seed-Snipe {Thinocoius urbii/nianux) (467) are both re- 

 markably mdike Plovers, the former especially bearing a marked 

 resemblance to the Tinaraous. 



Family IV. Ciiakaukiid.k. Plovers. (Plate VI.) 



I Cases To tiiis very lar<;e fiimiiy behjng all the Snipes, Sandpipers, and Plovei's. 

 27, iH.j They may be divided into several subfamdies. The tirst [I'lialuropitue) 

 includes the little Phalai'opes, which inhabit the Arctic and Sub-polar 

 regions; they are extremely interesting birds, and the most aquatic 

 members of the Plover-tribe. As in the Grebes and Coots the toes 

 arc lobed, and they are able to swim with ease and spend much of 

 their time ou the water. The female is larger and more handsomely 

 coloured than the male, who undertakes the duties of iiiculiation and 

 the care of the young. The Red-necked Phalarope {Phularopus hyper- 

 boreiLs) (470) annually visits Great Britain, anil still breeds ou some 

 of the islands off the north and west of Scotland; but the Grey 

 Phalarope {Cnjinupliihis fitlicurins) (469) is only an irregular visitor 

 to OU)' shores, while Wilson's Phalarope [Steganopus tricolor) (468 1 

 is a North American species. The great difference between the summer 

 and winter plumage of these birds is worth noting. 



A precisely similar reversal of the sexual characters is found in the 

 Painted Snipe (Ro.strutitla cupeims) (472), examples of which may be 

 seen on the shelf above. Generally these birds are regarded as true 

 Snipe, l)ut they are probably more nearly allied to the Sandpipers. 

 Three species arc recognised, and occur in Africa and Southern Asia, 

 Australia, and South America respectively. 



We now come to the true Snipe and Woodcocks, a cosmopolitan 

 group migratory in cold climates, distinguished by the peculiar round- 

 ness of the cranium, which brings the aperture of the ear directly 

 under the eye, and by the great length of the bill. The mottled plumage 

 is protective in character, harmonising with the bird's surroundings and 

 thus concealing it from enemies. The long bill is well supplied with 

 nerves and extremely sensitive to touch, and like that of many of the 

 Sandpipers is very flexible, especially at the tij). The Common Snipe 

 [Galliiuuio ijaUinacjo) (476) and the Woodcock [Scolopax rusticula) {M\) 

 are both well-known British species, breeding throughout the Islands ; 

 while ih'i (ireat, Double, or Solitary Snipe {GaUinago major) (477) and 



