Vv CHARADRIIFORMES PEGA 
the male, as well as larger, the latter fact holding true of a con- 
siderable number of the Tringinae and Scolopacinae, and of the 
Parridae, though a special study of the subject is still needful. In 
several species the breeding plumage differs remarkably from 
that of winter. 
The Limicolae often flock together in the cold season, but are 
by no means uniform in their habits, and divergencies will be noticed 
under the various genera. They run well, often bobbing the head 
up and down, and fly strongly, wheeling round sharply in the air; 
while some Snipes rise in zigzag fashion. Typically waders, many, 
if not all of them, can swim on emergency, but few habitually do 
so, ike Phalaropes. Exceptionally they perch on trees, or soar. 
Swamps, river-sides, and in winter the sea-coast, are the general 
haunts ; but Coursers, Stone-Curlews and “ Seed-Snipes ” frequent 
arid or stony localities, Dromas sandy islets or shores, Chionis 
maritime rocks. Vanellus cayennensis and Parra jacana are said 
to indulge in dances, while Lapwings and other species feign to 
be wounded if their young are in danger. The food consists of 
crustaceans, molluscs, worms, and insects; rarely of small fish or 
egos of other birds; but not uncommonly of vegetable matter, on 
which the Thinocorythidae entirely subsist. The usual note is 
shrill, but the “ scape, scape” of the Snipe, the melancholy whistle 
of the Curlew, the yelp of the Godwit, the reiterated scream of 
the Oyster-catcher, and the sweet song or trill of Temminck’s 
Stint and of the Green Sandpiper should be noticed among the 
exceptions. Usually four pyriform eggs, varying from brownish 
or olive-green to stone-colour, with double markings of leghter 
and darker shades, are arranged in a hole scraped in the ground, 
with or without lining, the small ends pointing to the centre. 
Those of Oyster-catchers and Stone-Curlews are more oval, while 
the Dotterel and some other species lay only three, and Stone- 
Curlews two. The Parridae amass a considerable pile of water- 
plants, Chionis usually breeds in holes among rocks, the Green 
and the Wood-Sandpiper often use deserted nests of other birds. 
The young run almost from the shell, the Stone-Curlews and 
Dromas, which lays a white egg in sandy burrows, being to some ex- 
tent exceptions. The male performs most of the duties of incuba- 
tion in Rhynchaea, Phalaropus, and apparently the Dotterel, Bar- 
tailed Godwit, and Purple Sandpiper—if not elsewhere; while the 
Ruffis well known to be polygamous. Stone-Curlews and Wood- 
