CHARADRIIFORMES 



the male, as well as larger, the latter fact holding true of a con- 

 siderable number of the Tringinae and Scolopacinae, and of the 

 Parridae, though a special study of the subject is still needful. In 

 several species the breeding plumage differs remarkably from 

 that of winter. 



The Limicolae often flock together in the cold season, but are 

 by no means uniform in their habits, and divergencies will be noticed 

 under the various genera. They run well, often bobbing the head 

 up and down, and fly strongly, wheeling round sharply in the air ; 

 while some Snipes rise in zigzag fashion. Typically waders, many, 

 if not all of them, can swim on emergency, but few habitually do 

 so, like Phalaropes. Exceptionally they perch on trees, or soar. 

 Swamps, river-sides, and in winter the sea-coast, are the general 

 haunts ; but Coursers, Stone-Curlews and " Seed- Snipes " frequent 

 arid or stony localities, Dromas sandy islets or shores, Chionis 

 maritime rocks. Vanellus cayennensis and Parra jacana are said 

 to indulge in dances, while Lapwings and other species feign to 

 be wounded if their young are in danger. The food consists of 

 crustaceans, molluscs, worms, and insects ; rarely of small fish or 

 eggs of other birds ; but not uncommonly of vegetable matter, on 

 which the Thinocorythidae entirely subsist. The usual note is 

 shrill, but the " scape, scape " of the Snipe, the melancholy whistle 

 of the Curlew, the yelp of the Godwit, the reiterated scream of 

 the Oyster-catcher, and the sweet song or trill of Temrninck's 

 Stint and of the Green Sandpiper should be noticed among the 

 exceptions. Usually four pyriform eggs, varying from brownish 

 or olive-green to stone-colour, with double markings of lighter 

 and darker shades, are arranged in a hole scraped in the ground, 

 with or without lining, the small ends pointing to the centre. 

 Those of Oyster-catchers and Stone-Curlews are more oval, while 

 the Dotterel and some other species lay only three, and Stone- 

 Curlews two. The Parridae amass a considerable pile of water- 

 plants, Chionis usually breeds in holes among rocks, the Green 

 and the Wood-Sandpiper often use deserted nests of other birds. 

 The young run almost from the shell, the Stone-Curlews and 

 Dromas, which lays a white egg in sandy burrows, being to some ex- 

 tent exceptions. The male performs most of the duties of incuba- 

 tion in Rhynchaea, Phalaropus, and apparently the Dotterel, Bar- 

 tailed Godwit, and Purple Sandpiper if not elsewhere ; while the 

 Buff is well known to be polygamous. Stone-Curlews and Wood- 



