234 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



FAMILY XXXIX. SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. (SCOLOPACIDJE) 



A large family (100 species) of generally long-legged, short- 

 tailed, shore birds, divided into many groups which grade into 

 one another, but which have characteristics distinct enough 

 to give them different common names. The peculiarities of 

 the main groups will be given. (1) True Snipe and Woodcock. 

 Long-billed, mottled-brown birds of swampy meadows and 

 woodlands, where the mud is soft. Their legs are relatively 

 shorter than those of the other groups of the family, and the 

 eyes are placed farther back on the head than in any other 

 birds. Nos. 1 and 2 show these characteristics fully, while 

 3 and 4 are intermediate between this group and the next. 

 (2) Sandpipers. This is a large group, and contains the small- 

 est species of the family, as well as some of large size. They 

 are short, straight-billed, long-legged, slender-bodied birds, of 

 open, wet places, with a piping, resonant voice and unbarred, 

 short tails. They have little, and, in some cases, no webbing 

 to the toes. Their colors are grays, browns, and dull yellows. 

 Their movements are quick and graceful in both running and 

 iiying. After a run, many of them have a way of teetering 

 the body in a see-saw way, which is very characteristic. Nos. 

 5-16, 24-l'(i are somewhat intermediate between this group 

 and the tattlers. (3) Godwits. These are large, snipe-like 

 birds, with long legs and very long and slightly upwardly 

 curved bills.' They are found abundantly on marshes and 

 salt meadows, around bays and lakes. ISTos. 17 and 18. 

 (4) Tattlers. This is about as large a group as that of the 

 sandpipers, and the different species vary so in their charac- 

 teristics that but little can be said of them as a whole. The 

 bill is generally about straight, and longer than the head ; it 

 is harder and less sensitive than the bills of the other groups. 

 Their noisy and restless character has given them their name; 



