412 CHAKADRIID^ GALLINAGO 



London (Eickards), Port St. John's, September, October (Short- 

 ridge) ; Natal — near Durban, March (Seebohm) ; German South- 

 west Africa — Walvisch Bay, October, December, April, May 

 (Andersson) ; Portuguese East Africa — Inhambane, September 

 (Francis). 



Habits. — As its name implies, the Sanderling is chiefly found 

 along the seashore, which it prefers to the mud banks generally 

 affected by other wading birds. It is usually to be seen in South 

 Africa in considerable flocks, close to the breakers, running in and 

 out of the water with considerable rapidity, and sometimes flying 

 off at a great pace. Its food, which it obtains by using its bill like 

 a snipe, consists chiefly of insects and small Crustacea, but it will 

 also eat grain on occasions, as Francis found the stomachs of some 

 individuals shot by him crammed with millet grains and mealie 

 meal. A very good account of its habits is given by Andersson as 

 follows : " The Sanderling hardly ever leaves the immediate edge 

 of the water, where it is amusing enough to observe it feeding 

 along the beach on which the surf is breaking, now running away 

 from the threatening waters, then turning, as if by instinct, the 

 moment they have spent their fury, closely following the receding 

 waves and rapidly seizing the minute marine animals upon which 

 it subsists. The cry of this species is a kind of shrill chirping call, 

 low and short, but shrill. Its flesh is very palatable ; and being 

 plump little birds, they are worth the trouble of shooting and 

 cooking." 



Subfamily IV. SCOLOPACIN^. 



Bill long and slender, with a nasal groove along the greater part 

 of its length ; eyes very large and placed far back in the head; no 

 distinct seasonal change of plumage. 



Genus I. GALLINAGO. 



Type. 

 Gallinago, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mam. Eds. B. M., p. 31 



(1816) G. media. 



Bill long, straight and slender, slightly swollen and soft at the 

 tip, about twice the length of the tarsus ; nostrils linear ovals, close 

 to the base of the bill in a groove running for about three quarters 



