DIRECTORY TO BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 59 



sweeping wing-beats ; at nightfall they separate into small 

 companies, and forming lines, fly up estuaries and rivers, 

 keeping close to the water with the elongated lower mandi. 

 ble beneath the surface, in this way securing food which 

 must consist of substances that float upon the surface. Cries, 

 harsh and abrupt, much like the bark of a young puppy. 

 Eggs placed upon sandy spots near the sea, 2, 3, white, 

 handsomely mottled with dark-brown and lilac. Sea coasts 

 of the warmer portions of America; breeding on the Atlan- 

 tic side from N. J. southward in May; winters from the Fla. 

 Keys southward. 



G. SHORE BIROS. Limicolae. 



Long legged and often long winged birds with elongated 

 tertiaries, and are usually found in the vicinity of water ; 

 bill of variable length, sometimes shorter than head but oft- 

 en longer and nearly always grooved on either side of both 

 mandibles; size never very large, often small; colors, not 

 bright, grays, white and buff or reddish buff being usual, 

 occasionally relieved by black markings. Eggs, usually 4 

 almost invariably placed on the ground. Young, covered 

 with down and active when hatched. Inhabit nearly all re- 

 gions of the globe. 



A. PHALAROPES. Phalaropodidae. 



Sandpiper-like birds with duck-like habits; breeding far 

 inland but passing a greater portion of their lives on the op- 

 en ocean ; folded wings at least reaching to end of short tail ; 

 feet with tarsus compressed ; toes, 4, the anterior provided 

 with lateral and basal membranes, figs. 73, 74, 79 ; plumage 

 beneath, greatly thickened closely blended and duck-like 

 enabling the birds to rest lightly on the water and to swim 

 with ease, fig. 78. Sexes, dissimilar, the females being 

 brighter than the males. Gregarious. Notes, weak whistles. 



a. Coot-footed Phalaropes. Crymophilus. 



Bill, short, thick and broadened at the end, fig. 74; lat- 

 eral membranes of toes, slighty lobed, fig. 73 ; summer female, 

 entirely reddish beneath. 



