BRITISH BIRDS. 



il)c gtondpiper. 



THE tongue is slender : in some, the toes divided ; 

 in others, the outer and middle toe connected as far 

 as the first joint by a membrane; hinder toe weak: 

 their bills are nearly of the same form as those of 

 the genus Totanus, but shorter, and slightly in- 

 clined downwards : their haunts and manner of life 

 are also very similar. 



They moult twice a year, at stated periods; the 

 winter and summer plumage varying very much ; 

 the principal colours commonly changing from 

 white to red, and also to black. The young, pre- 

 vious to the first moult, diifer from the old birds. 

 The sexes are distinguished by their size only, the 

 female being generally the largest. 



