298 BIRDS. GRALLATOHES. 



T. minuta, Leisler. Bill straight, shorter than the head ; tail 

 doubly forked, lateral feathers brown cinereous, margined with 

 white ; length of the tarsus ten lines. 5 \ inches long. Inhabits 

 Europe Tern. Man. 624. 



T. cinerea, Lin. (Calidris, Cuv. T. grisea, Canutits, Islandica, nce- 

 via, and Australis, Gmel. T. ferruginea, Meyer, and T. rufa, 

 Wils.) The Red Knot. Bill straight, a little longer than the 

 head, turgid and dilated towards the tip ; all the tail-feathers of 

 equal length. 9^ inches long. Europe Shaw, xii. pi. 14. 



** Middle and exterior toe united to the first joint. MACHETES, Cuv. 



T. pugnax, Lin. (T. littorea, Gmel. T. Grenovicensis and eques- 

 tris, Lath. Totanus cinereus, Briss.) The Ruff. Bill very 

 slightly inclined, and gibbous towards the tip ; legs long ; tail 

 rounded, the two middle tail-feathers striped, the three lateral 

 always of a uniform colour. 11J inches long. Europe. B. 

 Shaw, xii. pi. 16. 



The details of the markings in this species are so variable, that two individuals 

 are seldom found identical in this respect. The male is distinguished by a ruff, or 

 large tuft of feathers, which he does not acquire till the second year, and which falls 

 - off in moulting, leaving him more like his mate till spring, when he not only re- 

 sumes the ruff, but certain red tubercles on the face. These birds are particularly 

 . abundant in Holland, haunting moist and marshy meadows, and sometimes visiting 

 the sea-shore in spring. At that season they arrive in this island ; and, with a very 

 few exceptions, which seem to be accidental, they leave it in autumn. The males 

 are of a very pugnacious disposition, and fight keen battles for the females. 



Gen. 23. TOTANUS, Bechst. Scolopaoc and Tringa, Lin. 



Bill of moderate length, straight, compressed, rarely recurved, 

 soft at the base, hard, sharp at the tip, which is pointed ; 

 mandibles furrowed at the base, the extremity of the upper 

 slightly bent down on the under ; nostrils linear, longitudi- 

 nally cleft in the furrow ; legs long, slender, naked above the 

 knee, the middle toe united to the outer by a membrane, 

 which sometimes extends to the second joint. 



These birds, which travel in small troops, live indiscriminately on the banks of 

 lakes and rivers, and in meadows adjacent to fresh-waters, and also at times frequent 

 sea-shores, and the muddy and oozy margins of large rivers. With the hard. point 

 of their bill they pick up worms, testaceous animals, and sometimes fish. 



* Mandibles straight. 



T. semipalmatus, Tern. Semipalmated Snipe, Lath. Plumage above 

 uniform brown ; breast ash-coloured, with brown striae ; throat 

 and belly white ; quills black, with a white spot ; bill thick, very 

 strong ; toes semipalmated. Inhabits North America. 15 inches 

 long. Wils. Amer. Orn. vii. pi. 56. fig. 3. 



T.fuscus, Leisler. Plumage above gray ash-coloured, with black 

 stripes ; under parts and rump white ; upper coverts of the wings 

 striped with white and blackish ; base of the lower mandible red. 

 11 inches long. Inhabits Europe. B Bewick's Birds, ii.pl. 88. 



T. calidris, Bechst. Red-shanked Sandpiper. Plumage above 



