SAND-PLOVER—SARUS 



This habit, unique, so far as is known, among the group, is indulged 

 in during the breeding-season, and the inflation is accompanied by 

 the utterance of a deep, hollow and resonant note, as subsequently 

 observed by Mr. E. ^Y. Nelson {Auk, 1884, pp. 218-221), who 

 afterwards figured the bird {N. H. Collect. 

 Alaska, pp. 108, 109, pi. vii.) in this extra- 

 ordinary condition, when it presents almost 

 the appearance of a Ruff, while his experi- 

 ence has been corroborated by Mr. Murdoch 

 (Rej). Interna t. Pol. Exjjed. Point Barrotv, p. 

 111). Two other forms must however be 

 mentioned.^ These are the broad-billed 

 Sandpiper, T. platyrhyiicha, of the Old M'orld, 

 which seems to be more Snipe-like than any 

 that are usually kept in this section, and the 

 marvellous Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Evryno- 

 rhi/nchus pygmaius (cf. Harting, Ibis, 1869, 

 pp. 426-434), the true home of which 

 has still to be discovered, according to the 

 experience of Baron Nordenskjold in the 

 memorable voyage of the 'Yega.'- 



SAND-PLOVER, a name given locally to Plovers of the 

 genus jEyialitis. 



SAND-RUNNER, like the foregoing, but perhaps sometimes 

 used more for Sandpiper. 



BURYNORHYNCHUS. 



(From The Ibis.) 



SAPSUCKER, a common name in North America for many of 

 the smaller Woodpeckers, Dendrocopus puhescens, villosus and others, 

 but strictly only applical)le to Sp^hyropiicus varius, which with its 

 local forms, nnehalis and ruber, and congener thyroideus, has a lingual 

 structure, first described 1)y Macgillivray for Audubon (Orn. Biogr. v. 

 l^p. 537, 538), very difterent from that of most Piridiv, and a mode of 

 feeding to correspond ((/. Coues, Birds of the North West, pp. 285-289). 



SARUS (Hind. Saras and Sarhans), often corrupted into 

 " Cyrus," the ordinary name for Grus antigone, one of the finest of 

 the Cranes (p. 112). 



^ Reference lias ah'eady been made to the presumably extinct ^chmorliynchus 

 (p. 712, note 2) and Prosobonia (pp. 225, 226), if tire latter really belonged to 

 this groujj. 



- Mr. Seebohm's volume before mentioned (p. 733, note 2) The Geographical 

 Distribution of the Family Charadriidw, or the Plovers, Sandpipers, Sniiies aiid. 

 their allies, contains an account of every species and figures of a great many of the 

 Sandpipers. Yet a good work on the subject is still to be desired, especially if it 

 Avill describe accurately the range of the various species, distinguishing between 

 their summer-homes and their winter-resorts, while recording also their occasional 

 wanderings. 



