332 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA, 



Genus CALIDRIS, IlHger. 

 Bill as long as the head, straight, slender, the sides at the 

 base compressed, and the tip slightly dilated and smooth ; the 

 nostrils basal, lateral, longitudinal, and placed in a nasal 

 groove ; wings moderate and pointed, with the first quill the 

 longest; tail, moderate and even, with the middle feathers 

 rather longer than the lateral ones ; tarsi longer than the 

 middle toe, strong, and covered in front with transverse 

 scales ; toes rather short, slender, slightly united at their 

 bases by a small membrane ; the sides margined ; the hind 

 toe wanting ; the claws short and curved. 



623. Calidris Arenaria, HHg. ; Gould's b. of 



£nr., PI. 335 ; Tringa Arenaria, Linn. ; Charadrius 

 Rubidus, Lath. ; The Sanderling, Bewick's Brit. 

 Birds, p. 4. 



In winter : the upper parts pale-grey, with dusky lines ; the 

 lower white; wings black and grey, with a white band. In 

 summer : the upper parts variegated with black and red ; the 

 lower red anteriorly ; white behind. Young : with the upper 

 parts black, and variegated with yellow and white ; lower 

 white ; iris hazel. Length, 7" 9"'; wing, 5" 2'"; tail, 2" 2'". 



Found in large flocks everywhere along our seaboard, where sand 

 patches afford it a congenial home and abundance of food. I have 

 not procured it in the full nuptial dress, and fancy it must migrate to 

 some colder climate to breed. 



The Sub-Family, SCOLOPACIN^, or Snipes, 



have the bill long, straight, rather slender, compressed on 

 the sides, and rather depressed, and turned down near the tip, 

 which is obtuse, and bent over that of the lower mandible ; 

 the nostrils placed in a narrow, longitudinal groove, with the 

 opening linear, and covered by a membrane ; the wings 

 moderate and pointed ; the tail short and rounded ; the tarsi 

 more or less long, and covered in front with narrow trans- 

 verse scales ; the toes long, rather slender, with the hind toe 

 short, elevated, and reaching to the ground. 



Genus GALLINAQO, Leach. 



Bill long, straight, grooved, and compressed on the sides, 



and the culmen rather depressed near the tip, which is obtuse, 



and curved over that of the lower mandible ; the nostrils 



basal, placed in the groove, with the opening oblong and 



