Genus EREUNETES or SNIPE-BILLED SANDPIPERS. 



Type EREUNETES PUSILLUS. 



Ereunetes of Illiger (1811). — The birds comprising the 

 present genus are characterised by having the frontal feathers not 

 extending beyond the gape, and the point of the bill swollen 

 laterally and rugose. The wings are long and pointed. The 

 tarsus is moderately long, but short in some species, and scutel- 

 lated both anteriorly and posteriorly ; the tibia for some distance 

 above the tarsal joint is devoid of feathers. The biU is some- 

 what variable in length proportionately, and nearly straight. 

 Nostrils lateral and basal. Toes, three in front, one behind 

 somewhat elevated ; the outer and middle ones connected by a 

 well-developed basal web. 



This genus is composed of six species and subspecies confined 

 to the north-eastern Palfearctic and northern Nearctic regipns; 

 Neotropical and Oriental regions in winter. One species is a 

 rare straggler to the British Islands. 



The Snipe-billed Sandpipers do not differ in their general 

 habits and the localities they frequent from their near allies. 

 Their eggs and mode of nidification are also normal Totaninae. 



