324 GLOTTIS CHLOROPUS. 



water until it reaches nearly to the tarsal joint. It generally 

 advances with rapidity, running rather than walking, and 

 almost continually vibrating its body. On being disturbed 

 it stands with upraised neck, emits a succession of loud and 

 shrill cries, and, though there should be little danger, flies 

 off to a distance. Its flight is rapid, gliding, and devious, 

 and it alights abruptly, runs to some distance, stands and 

 vibrates. Its food no doubt consists of worms and small 

 shells ; but I have neglected to take note of the contents of 

 the stomach of the few individuals which I have examined. 



It appears from the accounts of authors, to be very ex- 

 tensively dispersed. Skins of it are very common in collec- 

 tions from India and its islands ; and it has been found on 

 the coast of the United States of North America. 



Young. — Young birds have the feathers of the fore part 

 of the back, the scapulars, and the larger secondary coverts, 

 margined with brownish-black spots with the edge white, 

 the upper tail coverts and tail barred with brown, the lower 

 wing coverts and axillar feathers greyish-Avhite, marked with 

 grey in bands parallel to the margin ; the other parts nearly 

 as in the adult in winter. 



