GLOTTIS. LONGSHANK. 31 7 



the base, horny toward the end, pointed. Both mandibles 

 concave within, the groove formed by the lower extremely 

 narrow. Mouth very narrow ; oesophagus narrow ; proven- 

 triculus oblong. Stomach elliptical, with its lateral muscles 

 moderately thick, the epithelium dense and longitudinally 

 rugous. Intestine rather long and of moderate width ; coeca 

 of moderate length and narrow. 



Eyes rather small. Nostrils rather long, linear, sub- 

 basal, pervious. Aperture of ear roundish, rather large. 

 Legs very long and slender ; tibia bare for nearly half its 

 length ; tarsus very slender, compressed, anteriorly and pos- 

 teriorly scutellate ; hind toe very small and elevated ; ante- 

 rior toes of moderate length, slightly webbed at the base, 

 the inner a little shorter than the outer. Claws small, 

 slightly arched, compressed, obtuse. 



Plumage of the head, neck, and lower parts very soft 

 and blended ; of the back and wings rather compact. Wings 

 very long, pointed, with twenty-five quills ; the primaries 

 tapering, the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated ; the 

 secondaries incurved, some of the inner tapering and elon- 

 gated. Tail short, a little rounded, of twelve feathers. 



These birds are of moderate size or small. They frequent 

 the shores of the sea, lakes, marshes, and rivers ; feed upon 

 worms, insects, Crustacea, and mollusca, along with which 

 they swallow sand or gravel ; run with great celerity, vibrate 

 their body when standing, especially if alarmed ; emit a loud 

 shrill reiterated cry ; and have a rapid, though light and 

 rather buoyant flight. Their nest is a slight hollow among 

 sand or herbage ; their eggs four, very large, pyriform, and 

 spotted. The young, at first covered with longish down, 

 presently run about, and conceal themselves by squatting. 

 Some species of the genus are found in all parts of the globe. 

 In Britain only one occurs. The most characteristic, from 

 which I have derived the above characters, are Glottis chlo- 

 ropus, Glottis melanoleuca, Glottis semipalmatus, and Glottis 

 stagnatilis. 



It is ludicrous to see the tenacity with which people 

 adhere to the vernacular, while they are perpetually changing 

 the scientific nomenclature, as if the one were sacred, and 



