430 SCOLOPACID^E. 



sagacity in diverting the attention of an intruder from the 

 young birds to herself, by counterfeiting lameness, which 

 has been observed in the Plovers. The young are able to 

 run within a very short time after exclusion from the egg, 

 there being an instance recorded in the Zoologist of a 

 gentleman having seen some young birds scramble away 

 from the nest while there yet remained an egg containing 

 an unhatched chick. Early, too, in their life they are en- 

 dowed with the instinct of self-preservation, for Mr. Selby 

 states that if discovered and pursued before they have 

 acquired the use of their wings, they boldly take to the 

 water and dive. 



The Sandpiper is found in all parts of Europe and Asia, 

 but not in America, 



THE SPOTTED SAKDPIPEK. 



TOTANUS MACULARIA. 



Upper plumage ash-brown, tinged with olive ; lower white, with a roundish 

 black spot at the extremity of each feather ; bill flesh-colour, tipped with 

 brown ; feet flesh-colour. Length eight inches. Eggs unknown. 



AN American species, the habits of which closely resemble 

 those of the Common Sandpiper. It is of exceedingly 

 rare occurrence in Europe. 



THE GKEENSHANK. 



TOTANUS GLOTTIS. 



Bill strong, compressed at the base, slightly curved upwards. Winter Forehead, 

 all the lower parts, and lower back, white ; head, cheeks, neck and sides of 

 the breast, streaked with ash-brown and white ; rest of the upper feathers 

 mottled with dusky and yellowish white ; tail white, middle feathers barred 

 with brown, outer white with a narrow dusky streak on the outer web ; bill 

 ash-brown ; legs yellowish green, long and slender. Summer Feathers of the 

 back edged with white ; breast and adjacent parts white, with oval black spots ; 

 middle tail-feathers ash, barred with brown. Length fourteen inches. Eggs 

 olive-brown, spotted all over with dusky. 



AN unusual colour and disproportionate length of leg are 

 characters which sufficiently distinguish the Greenshank 



