150 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



Economic Qualities. — They are protected as useful 

 destroyers of snakes, etc., but are also destructive 

 to young game-birds and beasts. 



Captivity. — They live well in confinement, whether ni 

 an aviary or allowed to run about outside, the 

 only difficulty in their management being the readi- 

 ness of their legs to break, which fractures do not 

 unite. 



Distribution. — Africa, chiefly south of the Sahara, 

 in open dry country. Only the one species is known. 



Seed-snipes (AttagidcB). 



Diagnosis. — Quail-like birds, with long sharp wings 

 like snipe, short beaks, and short legs, with no webs 

 between toes. 



Size. — From that of a turtle-dove to that of a thrush. 



Form. — Bill short, much like a partridge's, but corner 

 of mouth not reaching back further than forehead ; 

 feet with shanks short, covered with small scales 

 all round, front toes without webs, hind-toe small 

 and useless. General shape partridge-like, but 

 for the large pointed wings ; tail short, rounded 

 or pointed. 



Plumage. — Mottled brown. No seasonal change ; a 

 sexual difference in some. 



Young. — Downy and active ; down speckled as in a 

 young Plover or Snipe, or grey. 



Nest. — Slight, a few stalks in a hollow in the ground. 



Eggs. — Pale stone colour, thickly speckled with 

 brown ; four in number. 



Food. — Seeds and herbage. 



Gait. — A walk. 



Flight. — Vigorous and active, as in snipe. 



Note. — Similar to a snipe's, or whistling. 



