Tin: /://', i \ / r/.\ I.I/K/-. 499 



lN.int.-d, taottag considerable |x,w-rs ,,f tli^ln. :m.l in mans sjHH-i th- t\\.- 

 of tin- tail an- iiuirli .-l.itii:at.-l ami project h-\oml ih.- nili. 



Th.- birds aiv niosth -i-.-icarir.il>. MMMbUagfal fagB flocks, l.iil still retaining a di\ i-ion 

 i n I o pairs. (In.- s| M .,-i,-^. tli- 1'in tail.-.! Saii.l ' is found in such sa.st multitudes that 



lh-\ an- killed l.y l.\s, win, arm tli-m Is-s with sticks :nnl Ilinic th rude missiles at the 

 winir'-d armies. It has U-.-M sii--,-,!-.! by S,,IM- writers that this liinl i- tli- quail of Scripture. 

 Tli.- Saii-I4ir.ni-. mi,., with i-niisiilcnilili' rapidity ; an-l a- lli- l-jrs ar- \--rs short, aii.l the, 



\x*[\ consequent) \ calli-<l . 'Id-- tilth.' -.'round. llie-hVct |I|IH|I|.-...| \-l\ nillrli n-s-inl ,|-s tile 



tos ini.-i' which aiv wound up like watches, ami run aUnii ih- ||,,r. \Vh-n .lining <lii.. il\ 

 towar-ls i h obaenvr. th- liinl has a \-r\ .iniral as|.i-t, tli-- f.-.-l U-in^ hunllx visilil.- l-.-n.-aih 

 tin- lini:iii |HM!\. ami ih- sti-ps lieinK v.-r\ sh.-rl, quirk, ami tripping. 



Th.- f-inal- Saml <ir.,u-- maki-s im m-st, Imt lays IHT yir-v ^-n-i-ally aUmt two ur thn-*- in 

 niiinUT. tm ih- km- ^roiiml. Th- yoiinj; liinls an- v.-iy sin-iiyof f.M.t. and as soon a> th.-ir 

 jilninai:- has .Irjiil. aft-r th.-ir .-\it fn.in ih- sht-ll. lh-y run aUmt with th-ir niothi-r, and <iui 

 aftiM \vanls |-ad a \airnint lift'. 



Th- nial- 1-inl has its ii-i-h-a-l whitish, thi-n a lilark juit* 1 )! and th'ii wliil-. Tin- np|T 

 part "f tin- plunia^- is dusky brown, nmtthil \\ith ImlT ; and its tail is Imtr, liarnnl pnifnsely 

 \sith l-lai-kish I-K.XMI. th- tip Itein^ ImfT, and the last liar \i-ry broad and black. Tin- breast 

 is |ialc l>u)f. ami b.t\\i-.-n tin- In-Ji.st and alHloini'ii runs a x-inibinar \vhil- band, n-arhinu 

 Up t th- should. -i-s. .lust U'low the white there is an i-(|ii:illy roiispiriuniH blark Imnd, 

 aN. nmniiii: up uml-r th- \\inir< to the Hhoillders. Th- :iUh.iu--ii and Hanks are pal- Imlf, 

 inottl-<l tniiisv-rs-ly with black-brown. In the female the plumai:- is of a imuv y.'llow cast, 

 the bhtck paU*h on the foii'h-ad nnd bliu-k band nmnd tin- ch-st ar- \\aiitini:. and the white 

 lian-1 ha- a iritis lin_'-. 



ANOTIIKR curious /?roup of binls is known by th title of Sheath bills. on account of the 

 r-niarkable sheath of In. ins .iibstance, whirh is situat-d on tin- ba.se of the bill, and under 

 which lie the nostrils. The use of this apiiendage is rather obscure. The whole of th- bill is 

 short and stout, and it is considerably arched towards the tip. 



One of the commonest s|M-ci-s of this ^roup is the WIIITK SIIKATII itn.i.. a native of Aus- 

 tralia, New Zealand, and neiirhborini,' islands. 



This bird is alim-st < \du-ively found II|KIM tin- coasts, finding its finnl annnii: the mi>l- 

 liisks. small crustacea. and ltestninde<l tish and other similar substances. IVrluii>s, under 

 MM Circumstances, it mas subsist on carrion, and thereby i-ive an evil flavor to its ttewh. aa 

 there are very contradictory reports as to its value for the table, som- s|)ecimeiis having In-en 

 of so vile an cnlor that even the sailors, with their proverbial ap|>-tit-s for fresh m-at. - ould 

 not touch the ill-savore<l tl-sh. while in other ca.ses the binl is rejKirtiil to U- of excellent 

 quality, and equal to duck in tenderness and flavor. The le^s of the She:itli-bill are rather 

 long in proportion to the size of the body : and as it always fi--.pi.-nts the sea-side, running 

 in ami out of the wai-r in search of its food, and pxMaOflOOH many of the habits of the waders, 

 it ha.s lieen class.-*! by some naturalists amou^ thes.- binls. 



The White Sheath-bill is a pretty bird, its whole plumage lieiiur pure white, and the legs 

 reddish -black. The fjenerical name. Chionis. is derived from a (Jreek won!, signifying snow, 

 and is ^iven to this bin! in allusion to its pur- snow-white plumage. In total length the adult 

 male measures about h'ft.-en inches. 



Tin Hi II.SNI TINAMOU is one of the handsomest, though not the largest, of the family 

 to which it belongs. 



The Tinamous are only found in South America, where they are tolerably common. The 

 word Tinamou is the native name for these birds ; and as they bear some resemblance to bus- 

 tards, the generic title of Tinamotis. although rather a barbarous combination of languages, is 

 sufficiently appropriate. 



The Tinamous are found in the open fields, preferring those which lie on the borders of 

 woods. They are very seldom known to perch ou branches, and are not very willing to use 



