[Case 27.) 
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mis 
Cases 
28.] 
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50 BIRD GALLERY. 
Family IIT. Arracipe. Srep-Syipes. 
This is another aberrant group of the Ployer-tribe, peculiar to South 
America. Two distinct genera are recognised, each of which is repre- 
sented in the Case. Gay’s Seed-Snipe (Attagis gayi) (466) and 
D’Orbigny’s Seed-Snipe (Thinocorus orbignianus) (4617) are both re- 
markably unlike Plovers, the former especially bearing a marked 
resemblance to the Tinamous. 
Family 1V. Cuarapriups. Provers. (Plate VI.) 
To this very large family belong all the Snipes, Sandpipers, and Plovers. 
They may be divided into several subfamilies. The first (Phalaropine) 
includes the little Phalaropes, which inhabit the Arctic and Sub-polar 
regions; they are extremely interesting birds, and the most aquatic 
members of the Plover-tribe. As in the Grebes and Coots the toes 
are lobed, and they are able to swim with ease and spend much of 
their time on the water. The female is larger and more handsomely 
coloured than the male, who undertakes the duties of incubation and 
the care of the young. The Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus hyper- 
boreus) (470) annually visits the British Islands, and still breeds on 
some of the islets off the north and west coasts; but the Grey 
Phalarope (Crymophilus fulicarius) (469) is only an irregular visitor 
to our shores, while Wilson’s Phalarope (Steganopus tricolor) (468) 
is a North American species. The great difference between the summer 
and winter plumage of these birds is worth noting. 
A precisely similar reversal of the sexual characters is found in the 
Painted Snipe (Rostratula capensis) (412), examples of which may be 
seen on the shelf above. Generally these birds are regarded as true 
Snipe, but they are probably more nearly allied to the Sandpipers. 
Three species are recognised, and occur in Africa and Southern Asia, 
Australia, and South America respectively. 
We now come to the true Snipe and Woodcocks, a cosmopolitan 
group migratory in cold climates, distinguished by the peculiar round- 
ness of the cranium, which brings the aperture of the ear directly 
under the eye, and by the great length of the bill. The mottled plumage 
is protective in character, harmonising with the bird’s surroundings and 
thus concealing it from enemies. ‘The long bill is well supplied with 
nerves and extremely sensitive to touch, and like that of many of the 
Sandpipers is very flexible, especially at the tip. The Common Snipe 
(Gallinago gallinago) (416) and the Woodcock (Scolopax rusticula) (411) 
are both well-known British species, breeding throughout the Islands ; 
while the Great, Double, or Solitary Snipe (Gadlinago major) (411) and 
