scolopacidje. 669 



The Longirostres comprise one large family, the Scolopacidce, 

 and a very small group, differing from them only in external 

 conformation and colour, the Himantopidce ; these last may be 

 said to bear the same relation to the rest of the tribe, that the Sea- 

 plovers (Hcematopodidce) do to the other Plovers, and to which, 

 indeed, these birds have a general similarity of colour. 



Fam. Scolopacidce. 



Bill typically long, slender, in many somewhat soft towards the 

 tip, in others hard throughout ; wings lengthened, as are the ter- 

 tials ; tail short ; tarsus moderately long ; toes slightly united by a 

 very short web. Plumage brown, of various shades above, white, 

 more or less tinged brown or ashy beneath. 



The Snipes and Sand-pipers form a continued series, graduating 

 into each other, with various modifications of the bill, as to length, 

 strength, hardness, and form. The bill is short in some, as in 

 Tringa ; curved in the Curlews ; somewhat turned upwards in 

 Limosa and Terekia ; soft in the Snipes, moderately hard in 

 Totanus. They may be divided, according to these modifications, 

 (and in one case from the structure of the feet), into Scolopacince, 

 True Snipes; Limo since, Godwits ; Numeninoe, Curlews; Tringince, 

 Stints; Phalaropince, and Totanince., Phalaropes ; Sand-pipers. 

 Sub-fam. Scolopaciisle, Snipes. 



Bill long, straight, rather soft, swollen at the tip, which is gently 

 bent over the lower mandible ; tarsus rather short ; tail varying 

 in the number of feathers. 



The Snipes have the richest plumage of the family, the dorsals 

 and scapular feathers being often streaked with black and yellow. 

 Their bills are highly sensitive and soft at the tip, and in drying 

 shrivel up so as to appear punctured. They feed on worms and soft 

 larvae, are chiefly nocturnal in their habits, and have large eyes 

 set far backwards, giving them a peculiar physiognomy. They 

 mostly affect concealment, and some of them even frequent woods. 

 Gen. Scolopax, Linn. ( as restricted. ) 



Syn. Rusticola, Vieillot. 



Char. — Bill long, thin, more or less rounded, of soft texture, 

 swollen at the tip, and obtuse ; upper mandible channeled for the 



