BIRDS OF KANSAS. 155 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 14.75 28.50 9.25 3.00 4.50 2.70 



Female... 14.50 27.00 8.50 3.00 4.30 2.55 



This slender wader inhabits the shores of bays, ponds of wa- 

 ter, and swales where scantily covered with short grasses; alkali 

 pools are favorite resorts. It swims buoyantly and gracefully, 

 and moves on the land with easy, measured tread (not in a 

 "tremulous manner," as supposed by some writers, on account 

 of its extremely long and slender legs), runs swiftly, with par- 

 tially raised wings, readily tacking or stopping in its chase after 

 insect life. Its flight is not very swift, but strong and steady, 

 with sweeping strokes, legs fully extended and head partially 

 drawn back, after the manner of the Avocet, and, like the latter, 

 will meet one often a long distance from their nests, scolding 

 and threatening; at such times their necks are as fully extended 

 as their legs, the latter often dangling as they retreat. 



Their food consists of insects, minute shell fish, larvae, and 

 the various small forms of life. They are social, usually living 

 and breeding in small flocks. 



Their nests when placed on dry, sandy land are slight 

 depressions worked out to fit the body; on wet lands, are upon 

 bunches or masses of vegetation. Eggs three or four; buff to 

 brownish olive, irregularly but rather thickly splashed and 

 spotted with blackish brown; in shape, pyriform. A set of 

 four eggs, taken May 17th, 1882, near Corpus Christi, Texas, 

 from a nest near the water's edge, are, in dimensions: 1.72x 

 1.23, 1.75x1.25, 1.78x1.24, 1.80x1.27. 



FAMILY SCOLOPACIDJE. SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 



( This family embraces a great variety of forms, from the smallest Sandpiper 

 to the largest Curlews.) 



"Bill exceedingly variable short or long, straight, slightly recurved, or de- 

 cidedly decurved, but usually more or less expanded laterally at the end, which 

 is more or less sensitive. Hind toe usually present, rarely absent. 



"Tarsus rounded in front, where clothed with a single row of transverse 

 scutellse." 



GKNTTS PHILOHELA GRAY. 



"Body very full, and head, bill and eyes very large. Tibia short, feathered 

 to the joint. Toes cleft to base. Wings short, rounded, the three outer prima- 

 ries very narrow and much attenuated; the fourth and fifth equal and longest. 



