Descriptive List of the Common Birds 



the redshank by the red legs, which are not so 

 extravagantly long as those of the stilt (187). 



195. Tringa minuta : The Little Stint. (F. 

 1471), (J. 884), ( + 1, but with a short tail.) 



Upper parts dingy brown, with white fore- 

 head and under parts. 



" If," writes Eha, " you see a hundred dingy 

 little birds, about the size of sparrows, all 

 feeding together knee-deep in water, you may 

 safely put them down as stints." 



A winter visitor to India ; common on the 

 coasts. 



The Snipes 



These being game birds are not dealt with 

 in this volume. It must suffice that all four 

 species — The Common, Full, or Fantail Snipe 

 (Gallinago ccelestis), The Pintail (G. stenura), 

 The Little Jack-Snipe (G. gallinula), and The 

 Painted Snipe (Rostratula cafensis), who is not 

 a true snipe, all He up closely in marshy ground 

 or paddy fields in the daytime, and are not 

 likely to be seen by the naturalist unless he is 

 prepared to wade and flush them. 



When flushed the first three go off at a great 

 pace, either uttering no call or a short, sharp 

 " fsip.''^ The flight of the last species is com- 

 o 2og 



