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NATURAL HISTORY. 



"WING OF SNIPE. (A, Secondaries; B, Primaries.) 



THE FIFTH SUB-FAMILY OF THE RALLID^E . THE FINFOOTS (Heliarnithwee). 

 These curious birds have the feet lobed as in the Coots, but differ in having a long bill and 

 compressed head, not unlike that of a Heron, and also at the same time somewhat resembling that of 

 a Grebe. Two genera are contained in this sub-family, the first (Heliornis), having but a single 

 species, generally known as the American Finfoot (Heliornis fulica], from the tropical portions of 

 Central and South America. Prince Maximilian of Neuwied states that it is by no means rare on 

 the rivers of Eastern Brazil, but from its habit of concealing itself in the herbage it is not often 

 observed. It may frequently be noticed sitting on a thin branch, partially immersed in the water, 

 and occupied in bowing its head in a most curious manner. The plumage is peculiarly soft. The 

 bird is said to possess the powers of diving in an inferior degree to most of the Rails. In Africa 

 the Heliornis is replaced by the genus Podica, of which there are three species, two peculiar to the 

 Ethiopian region, while the third, the Masked Finfoot (Podica jjersonata), is a native of the 

 Burmese countries and Malacca. 



THE SECOND FAMILY OF THE ORALLY, OR WADING BIRDS. THE SNIPES (Scohpaeidee). 



No portion of the globe seems to be without some representative of this family, some of the 

 members of which are migratory and extend over a wide range, whilst others are comparatively local, 



the Auckland Islands, for instance, possessing a 

 species of Snipe peculiar to themselves. In the 

 Scolopacidse the bill is long and very slender, as well 

 as weak, so that instead of being firm and horny, 

 as in most Wading-birds, it is flexible and bends 

 under pressure. The wings ai'e long and pointed, 

 and the secondaries are extremely long, nearly equal- 

 ling the primaries in length. They frequent bogs 

 and marshes or the banks of rivers and ditches, 

 where they are enabled to get their food, which 

 consists of worms, insects, and testaceous mollusca, these being obtained by probing the soft ground. 

 They are, as regards the English species at least, almost without exception migrants, visiting the 

 shores of Great Britain in April or May, and departing in August and September, when they assemble 

 in flocks on the sea-coasts, sometimes in considerable numbers. A few species, however, such as 

 the Woodcock and the Snipe, are more generally distributed in England in the winter. 



THE FIRST SUB-FAMILY OF THE SNIPES. THE CURLEWS (Numeniin^. 



These are the largest birds of the family, the Common Curlew, a well-known English bird, being 

 nearly of the same bulk as a chicken, though appearing much larger, from its long legs and enormous 

 curved bill. The bill is always arched, and the nasal groove in which the nostrils are placed reaches 

 to its tip. 



The first genus (Ibidorhynchus) contains but one species, the Red-billed Curlew (Ibidorhynchus 

 strutkersi), which is found only in the Himalaya Mountains and the hills of Central Asia. It is said 

 to inhabit in the former range the large rivers which rise from the snow and have a broad, sandy 

 channel. It is nowhei'e common, and is generally seen singly, though occasionally met with in small 

 parties of five or six. It has no hind toe, and the nasal groove is rather shorter than in the Painted 

 Snipes and Curlews. The second genus contains the Painted Snipes, as they are called (Hhyncheea), a 

 genus which is somewhat remarkable from the great difference which is observable in the coloration of 

 the sexes. As a rule, the only distinction between the males and females in the Snipes is one of size, 

 but in the Painted Snipes the females are more richly coloured than the males, having the lores, sides 

 of face, and neck chestnut. This genus is quite an anomaly in the class Aves, where the females are 

 almost always duller-coloured than the males, or at least merely resemble them in plumage, though in 

 some of the Hemipodes (Turnix) the colours of the hen bird are brighter than in the males, and in the 

 Hawks the female is generally the larger and more powerful bird. The Painted Snipes are found 

 in Africa, India, and Australia, while one species is met with in the southern countries of the Soutk 

 American continent. 



