258 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Syrrhaptes paradoxus (Pallas). Pallas's Sand Grouse. 



(^ Above fawn, Ixirred black, on wing coverts a chestnut bar, 

 throat and neck patches reddish ochreous, chest buffy grey, 

 pectoral band dull white barred black, breast bufif, abdomen black. 

 Middle tail feathers 80-120 ni.m. longer than next pair. Bill 

 pale horn. Wing ^ 227-267, 9 217-237 (H,). Tarsus 20-22. 

 Bill 8-9. 5 No pectoral band ; crown and upper parts spotted 

 and barred with black, throat and neck patches yellow ochreous. 



Breeds. — S.E. Russia (Astrakhan and Ufa), and east far into 

 Asia. It has occurred (and occasionally bred) in periodical 

 invasions in nearly every country in Europe from the Urals to 

 British Isles. 



LIMICOLiE. 



Includes Plovers, Sandpipers, Snipes, and Waders 

 generally. 



CEDICNEMID.^. 



Toes united by membrane at base; no hind toe; eyes 

 very large ; tarsus long, covered with hexagonal scales. 



CEdicnemus. 

 Bill shorter than head ; Aving long and pointed, inner 

 secondaries almost as long as primaries : sexes alike ; resemble 

 Bustards somewhat, but habits more nocturnal and more 

 partial to barren districts, squat when alarmed ; eggs laid 

 in depression, stone buff, spotted and blotched with dark 

 brown. 



CEdicnemus cedicnemus oedicnemus (L.). Stone 

 Curlew. J^y. Grand Pluvier ; Ger. Triel ; I^a/. Occhione ; 

 Siued. Tjockfot. 



^ $ adult. Above grey brown, with dark shaft streaks and 

 rufescent margins ; wing coverts with ill-defined bands of black 

 and white ; outer ])riniaries with a white jjatch on both webs ; 

 throat and stripe below eye white, separated by brown rictal 

 stripe ; beneath buffy white with narrow shaft streaks on foreneck, 

 breast, and flanks, under tail coverts reddish buff. Bill black, 



