oi 



XIV. TENTATORES. PROBERS. 



Intimately connected with the Otinse on the one hand, 

 and on the other with the Tantalinae by the genus Numenhis, 

 the Tentatores, like most very natural groups that have 

 obvious affinities, are not very easily defined. It may be 

 remarked here that, although the Snipes, being perhaps 

 more familiarly known than the other genera, are usually 

 considered as typical of this series, which accordingly is fre- 

 quently named after them, yet the Godwits and several other 

 genera in which the bill and feet are very long, seem to me 

 to have a better claim to this distinction. The genera may 

 be grouped so as to form several distinct families, with as 

 much propriety as has been done in the case of the Canta- 

 tores, in which the Turdinae, Alaudina?, Motacillince, and 

 others differ very little in any important point of view, — their 

 skeletons and digestive organs being very similar. But as 

 they graduate into each other, and that in a complex manner, 

 so that a particular genus may be closely allied to another 

 genus in the form of its bill, Avhile in the structure of its feet 

 akin to a third genus differing considerably in the bill, I 

 have thought it better here to give the prevalent characters 

 of the entire group. 



They are birds of moderate or small size, the largest not 

 exceeding a Pheasant, and the least not so large as a Pipit. 

 The body is ovate, and compact ; the neck long or moderate ; 

 the head small, ovate, compressed, and rounded above. The 

 bill is seldom shorter, usually longer than the head, slender, 



