446 



LIMICOL&. 



SCOLOPACIDJ:. 



SCOLOPACIDrf. 



TOTANUS HYPOLEUCUS (Linnseus*). 

 THE COMMON SANDPIPEK, 



OR SUMMER SNIPE. 



Totanus hypoleucos. 



TOTANUS, Bechstein\. Beak longer than tbe head, straight, or very slightly 

 re-curved, soft at the base, hard, solid, and cutting at the point, compressed 

 throughout the whole length, ending in a sharp point ; both mandibles grooved 

 at the base ; the extreme end of the upper mandible slightly bent towards the 

 under one. Nostrils lateral, linear, pierced longitudinally in a groove. Legs 

 moderate or long, slender, naked above the tarsal joint ; three toes in front, 

 one behind ; the middle toe united to the outer toe by a membrane. Wings 

 moderate ; the first quill-feather the longest ; inner secondaries elongated. Tail 

 rather short: somewhat rounded. 



THE COMMON SANDPIPER is a summer visitor to the British 

 Islands, usually appearing in April, and leaving again by 

 the end of September, although some remain till November. 



* Tringa Hypoleucos, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. 250 (1766). 

 t Ornithologiscb.es Taschenbuch, ii. p. 284 (1803). 



