2 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



It will be seen that much yet remains for sportsmen and field 

 naturalists to do. Doubtless there are yet to be obtained additions 

 new not only to an Indian Avifauna but to science altogether by 

 those who have the good fortune to be posted on our far North- 

 Eastern Frontier. But novelties are not the only things to hope for 

 and there is much about the most common of our game birds which 

 has not yet been properly, and sufficiently worked out. It is only 

 within the last few weeks that Mr. Ogdvie- Grant has submitted the 

 entirely new theory that female Woodcocks enormously outnumber 

 the males and in the same article he has knocked on the head our 

 old ideas as to the alleged differences in plumage between the young 

 and old birds. 



As regards classification that of Blanford's Avifauna will be adopted 

 almost as it is, but for the sake of convenience it may be necessary to- 

 alter the sequence of the individual birds and indeed, in some cases, 

 of the Families or Sub-Families also. 



The keys to the species are based as far as possible upon such 

 characteristics as appeal to the non-scientific observer but in each case 

 the fullest description of the adult male and female is given as also, 

 where possible, of the young bird. 



Finally I may add that should these series prove as popular as did 

 the " Ducks " it is proposed to bring them out in book form on the 

 same lines as that adopted for those articles. 



Part I. 

 Family-CHARADKIID^E. 



In 1886 in the " Ibis," page 122 et seq., Seebohm thus discoursed 

 on the position of the Snipes in the great family of "Plovers." 

 "The Snipes belong to the family Charadriidse, which also includes 

 the Sandpipers, Curlews, Plovers and a few other allied genera. 

 From all these birds they are very easily and very distinctly charac- 

 terised. Most of the Oharadriidcc are web-footed; they have a 

 distinct web at the base of the toes, sometimes 'much more developed 

 between the outer and the middle toe ; but the Snipes, some of the 

 Sandpipers, and the Turnstones are exceptions to this rule, having no 

 rudimentary web between any of the toes, which are cleft to the base. 

 Again, most of the Charadriidaa have comparatively long legs and 

 short bills; the Snipes on the contrary have short legs and long 



