68 



SHORE BIRDS. 



2. EUROPEAN SNIPE, G. gallinago. Differs from 1 

 in having the white bandings on the under wing coverts, ax_ 

 illaries, and sides, wider then the dark interspaces, and the 

 tail feathers are broader. Europe, northern Asia and Africa; 

 frequent in Greenland; accidental in the Bermudas. 



D. SANDPIPERS, TATTLERS, GOD WITS, 

 CURLEWS, ETC. Tringidae. 



Birds which usually occur in marshes, either salt or 

 fresh or on sea beaches ; a few species occur on dry land but 

 never in wooded swamps ; eyes, placed in front of ears ; 

 wings, longer than in C ; tibia, never feathered to the tarsal 

 joint ; front of tarsus covered with a continuous row of scales, 

 toes four, excepting in i ; highly gregarious in habit ; sum- 

 mer and winter plumages are very different ; sexes, similar. 

 General flight, swift and direct, with rapid wing-beats, 

 turning and wheeling in air is performed with grace and ease. 

 All of the species run swiftly, although none when adult 

 swim voluntarily when uninjured, wounded birds, and young 

 often enter the water and swim with ease. 



a. Snipe Sandpipers. Macrorhamphus. 



Medium sized, snipe-like birds with long, sensitive-tip- 

 ped bills, rather long necks, Fig 87. 

 folded wings reaching tip of 

 square tail, legs, long and 

 feet with partly webbed 

 toes, fig. 87 ; sometimes oc- 

 cur on muddy borders of 

 fresh waters, but more com- 

 monly in muddy places on 

 salt marshes where they 

 feed by probing. 



1. DOWITCHER, M. 

 GRISEU8. 10.00 ; bill, 2.35 ; 

 dusky brown above so thick- 

 ly streaked and banded with pale cinnamon as to appear red- 

 dish when seen at a distance; lower back and rump, white 



