164 



CHARADRIID/E : PLOVERS. 



bushes above the ground, but alight upon the earth it- 

 self. This series is collectively called " Water Birds ; " 

 the members of which, representing many families and 

 even orders, fall in the two extensive categories of wad- 

 ing or grallatorial birds, and of swimming or natatorial 

 birds, according as their organization fits them more es- 

 pecially for one or the other of these modes of life. The 

 former are usually small-bodied, long-legged, and long- 

 necked birds ; the Snipes and Plovers, and the Herons 

 and Cranes, respectively exemplify some of the leading 



Fig. 36. — Head and Foot of Sciuatarola. N.atur;il size. 



families ; while the thick-set, short-limbed, web-footed 

 birds of all kinds illustrate the great variety of ways in 

 which the natatorial plan of structure is carried out. In 

 round numbers about two-fifths of the Bird Fauna of 

 New England consists of water birds. 



The Plovers, as a groijp, like the members of the 

 closely related Snipe family, are noted for the extent 

 and regularity of their migrations. Many species pro- 

 tract their mysterious journey to very high latitudes in 

 the spring time ; in the fall, when the bird-tide ebbs, 

 they visit us again for a few weeks, and pass on south- 



