SCOLOPACIDM: THE SNIPE FAMILY. 



617 



The Terekia dnerea of various parts of the Old World, with the bill recurved almost as in an 

 avocet, stands between the godwits and tattlers. 



c. The Sandpipers {Tringa, etc.) are a rather extensive group, notable for the variation 

 in minor details of form, that it shows with almost every species — a circumstance that has 

 caused the erection of a number of unnecessary genera. Here the bill I'etains much of the 

 sensitiveness of a snipe's, and the gape likewise is much restricted; but the bill is much 

 shorter, averaging about equal to the head. One trivial circumstance affords a good clue to 

 this group : the taU-feathers are plain-colored, or with simple edgings, while in almost all 

 the species of other groups these feathers are barred crosswise. In this group the seasonal 

 changes of plumage are very great ; the proportions of the legs, and webbing of the toes, are 

 variable with the species, but, as a rule, the toes are cleft to the base (not so in Micropalama 

 and Erewmtes'), and four in number (except Calid/ris'). The sandpipers belong particularly 

 to the northern hemisphere, and breed in high latitudes ; they perform extensive migrations, 

 and in winter spread over most of the world. Among them are the most diminutive of waders. 



Fics. 433. — American Snipe, abont ^ nat. size. (From American Field.) 



They are probably without exception gregarious, and often fleck the beach in vast multitudes ; 

 they live by preference in open wet places, rather than in fens and marshes, and feed by prob- 

 ing, like snipe ; the voice is mellow and piping. They are pretty well distinguished from 

 both the foregoing, though Micropalama connects with the snipe through Macrorhamphus; 

 but shade directly into the Tattlers, through such genera as Tryngites and Trimgoides. Nearly 

 aU the forma of sandpipers are described in detail beyond. There are in all about 30 species. 

 The only generic form not represented in this country is the Limicola platyrhyncha, the 

 peculiarity of which is expressed in its name. The Eurynorhynchus pygmceus, a wonderful 

 and exceedingly rare species, in which the bill is expanded and flattened at the end, somewhat 

 as in the spoonbill, has lately been stated to occur on our Arctic coast. The singular Machetes 

 ^gnax should perhaps rather come here than among 



