SNIPE-LIKE BIRDS 5 



are as truly bay and shore birds as are the sandpipers. 

 There are not many species. 



The sandpipers are a large group, and among them 

 are some species with peculiar bills. The bill is soft 

 and sensitive, though less so than in the two previous 

 groups. All the sandpipers are extremely gregarious, 

 and while they vary somewhat in size, as a rule they 

 are small birds. 



The tattlers, of, which the winter and the summer yel- 

 lowleg and willet are familiar examples, are larger 

 than the sandpipers and longer legged. In these birds 

 the bill is less sensitive than in the sandpipers. They 

 are not less gregarious than the previous group, and are 

 noted for their restlessness and for the noise they 

 make, whence their common name. It is a large 

 group. 



The curlews are distinguished by a down-turned sen- 

 sitive bill of great length, and in most cases by their 

 large size. These also are noisy birds and remind one 

 somewhat of the godwits, which nearly equal some of 

 the curlews in size. Both godwits and curlews are 

 found all over the world. 



The flesh of all these birds is usually very delicious, 

 though of course varying in excellence with the foods 

 of the species. Some of these which feed along the 

 shore and largely on shellfish are not particularly well 

 flavored, while the woodcock and snipe are among the 

 most delicate of our game birds. 



