108 BRITISH BIRDS. 



The genus Totanus is cosmopolitan, if we accept the winter distribution 

 as part of its range ; but as it is obvious that only the breeding-range 

 should be regarded, it may be said to be confined to the Arctic, Palsearctic, 

 and Nearctic Regions. It contains about five and twenty species, of which 

 about a dozen breed in Europe ; but the British list contains thirteen, in 

 consequence of the admission into it of several stragglers from the 

 American continent. 



The birds in this genus chiefly frequent inland moors and marshes 

 during the breeding-season, only visiting the coasts in winter or during 

 migration. They are more or less gregarious or sociable in winter, but 

 separate into pairs during summer. They run and walk with ease, often 

 wade, and fly powerfully and with great speed. Their food is principally 

 composed of insects, mollusks, &c. Their notes are loud and not unmusical, 

 and in the pairing-season almost amount to a song, which is generally 

 uttered whilst the bird is performing evolutions in the air. Their nests 

 are slight and generally placed on the ground, usually near water ; and 

 their eggs, four in number, are very pyriform, more or less handsomely 

 spotted, like those of the birds in the allied genera. 



The following artificial key to those species of the genus Totanus 

 which are included in the British list will enable the student to name 

 any one of the hard-billed, partially web-footed, Sandpipers in any 

 plumage : 



A. Rump and upper tail-coverts nearly the same colour as the back. 



a. Primaries and secondaries brown, barred with white T. BARTBAMI. 



b. Primaries and secondaries uniform brown. 



a 1 . Wing over 6 inches long T. PTJGNAX. 



b 1 . Wing less than 5\ inches long T. SOLITABIUS. 



c. Primaries uniform ; secondaries brown, with white bases and 



tips. 

 c l . Brown on the secondaries, from the fifth to the tenth, 



covering more than half of the feather T. HYPOLEUCUS. 



d l . Brown on the secondaries, from the fifth to the tenth, 



covering less than half of the feather T. MACTTLABIUS. 



B. A white band across the wings or upper tail-coverts. 



d. Bill less than 2| inches long; frontal feathers extending 



beyond the angle of the gape ; lateral groove of the maxilla 



extending scarcely more than halfway to the end of the bill. 



e 1 . Upper and lower back concolorous ; wing less than 6| 



inches long. 

 a 2 . Axillaries and under wing-coverts brown, narrowly 



barred with white T. OCHBOPUS. 



6 2 . Axillaries and under wing-coverts white, slightly 

 mottled with brown. 



a 3 . Tarsus brown, about 1| inch long T. GLABEOLA. 



6 3 . Tarsus yellow, about 2 inches long T. FLAVIPES. 



