Nos. 4 & 5.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 123 



SNIPE AND SANDPIPERS : A REARRANGEMENT. 



By Gregory M. Mathews and Tom Iredale. 



Since the days of Coues the arrangement of Snipe, Woodcock 

 and Sandpipers has been in a state of flux, scarcely any 

 authorities being agreed upon the value of the observed 

 differences between the species. It is necessary to remember 

 that the differences do exist, but the estimates of their worth 

 disagreed, according as the valuer was a lumper or a splitter. 

 Consequently we see a few genera covering very diverse forms, 

 or conversely almost each species raised to generic rank. In 

 view of the geographical distribution of the series the latter 

 course is recommended, as the former gives rise to much 

 incongruity. We have always advocated the study of plumage 

 changes, and Mathews has shown how the careful examination 

 of eggs in the allied group of Plovers gave valuable assistance. 

 We would employ the criticism of egg shells, unhatched young, 

 downy young and plumage changes as productive of a stable 

 assortment, and conclude that study of the internal characters 

 wiU confirm the arrangement in every detail. This has been 

 suggested by Lowe, who published the results of an osteological 

 study of some members referring to a 



subfamily Eroliinse. Erolia alpina, Erolia minuta, ArquateUa 



maritiyna, Ereunetes pusillus, Ancylochilus subarquatus, 



Calidris arenaria, Hetero'pygia acuminata, Micro- 



palama himantopus, Canutus canutus, Eurynorhynchtis 



pygmcetis and Machetes pugnax 



and to subfamily Tringinse. Tringa ochropus, Tringa solitaria, 



Tfingoides hypoleucos, Tringoides macular ius, Rhyaco- 



philus glareola, Tringa calidris, Tringa flavipes, Tringa 



nehularia and Tringa stagnatilis. 



Lowe added a note that the colour pattern characteristic of 



the downy nestling of the Ruff [Machetes pugnax), as well as 



of the immature and female examples, was undoubtedly 



Eroliine in type, writing : " I refer to this here, as being a 



distinct point to the good in favour of colour pattern as a 



guide or clue to subfamily or generic affinities, borne out as 



