2dd 



TOTANIN^E. 



TATLERS AND ALLIED SPECIES. 



The Tringinse are so intimately allied to the Totaiiina?, 

 that most authors consider them as forming one family ; in 

 which they also place the Snipes, or Scolopacina?. They 

 certainly differ little in their general appearance, and their 

 digestive organs are the same. But while the Tringinse 

 have the body moderately stout, the legs mostly of ordinary 

 length, and the bill, though long, soft and blunt at the end, 

 the Totaninse are remarkable for their slender body, very 

 elongated legs, and extremely slender bill, attenuated at the 

 end, pointed, and in its terminal half firm, though elastic. 

 They may be characterized as follows : — 



The body ovate, compact, rather slender ; the neck long ; 

 the head small, compressed, rounded in front. The bill 

 long, straight, sometimes re-arcuate, or bent a little upwards, 

 acute. The mouth is extremely narrow; the tongue very 

 slender, trigonal, tapering, horny toward the end, pointed. 

 CEsophagus narrow, with an oblong or bulbiform proven tri- 

 culus ; stomach elliptical or roundish, with the lateral muscles 

 moderately thick; the epithelium dense and longitudinally 

 rugous ; intestine long and of moderate width ; cceca of 

 moderate length and narrow. 



Nostrils linear, small, pervious, sub-basal. Eyes rather 

 small. Aperture of ear rather large. Legs very long, 

 A ender ; tibia bare to a great extent ; tarsus slender, com- 

 pressed, anteriorly and posteriorly scutellate ; toes four, the 

 hind toe very small and elevated ; or three only, slender, of 

 moderate length, webbed at the base ; claws small, slightly 

 arched, compressed, rather obtuse. 



Plumage very soft and blended ; on the upper parts 

 rather compact. Wings very long, pointed, with the first 



