404 CHAKADRIID^ TEINGA 



from three to twelve birds, mostly females, with perhaps one male 

 distinguished by its greater size ; they are chiefly found inland in 

 moist situations, but also on the coast, especially about tidal mud 

 banks at the mouths of rivers. Their food, like that of other 

 Waders, consists of worms, insects, and small Crustacea, as well as 

 wheat and other grains. It need hardly be added that the Kuff has 

 not been known to breed south of the equator. 



Genus IV. TRINGA. 



Type. 

 Tringa, Briss. Orn. v, p. 177 (1760) T. canutus. 



Bill long and slender, generally longer than the tarsus ; nostrils 

 linear ovals near the base of the mandible, in a groove running 

 almost the entire length of the bill ; wings long and pointed, first 

 primary the longest, difference between the longest and shortest 

 primary more than twice the length of the culmen ; tail square or 

 slightly rounded, sometimes the two central feathers elongated and 

 pointed ; tarsus moderate, with transverse scutes before and 

 behind ; hind toe present ; anterior toes cleft to the joint without 

 webs. 



As in the case of the Sandpipers, so here various slight modifi- 

 cations of the comparative length of the bill and tarsus have been 

 utilised by some authors to form a number of separate genera for 

 the Stints which comprise this genus ; but it is quite obvious that 

 the various forms are very closely allied, and it seems more 

 logical and convenient to place them together under one generic 

 heading. 



The species are about twenty-two in number and nearly all are 

 migratory, breeding in the Arctic regions and wintering to the south 

 throughout the tropical and temperate zones of both hemispheres ; 

 four species reach South Africa. 



Key of the Species. 

 A, Bill straight. 



a. Larger, wing over 6'0 ; upper tail-coverts 



white banded with brown T. canutus, p. 405. 



6. Smaller, wing under 6 - ; upper tail-coverts like 



the back, not banded. 

 a 1 . Larger, wing over 5*0 ; tarsus longer than 



the middle toe and claw T. bairdi, p. 406. 



