244 AYES. 



[They full into two natural subdivisions: the first that uf thu Woodcocks, with h_'&s :-lr'nde)- form, :t-,]ioi-tpr lej^s, 

 and the tibia feathered to the joint ; colour resembling that of decayed leaves.] 



The Eurnpean Woodcock {Sc. vusticola, Lin.)-— UuiverisFilly known, with haiid>^ninely mottled phuna.i^e. In the 

 summer it inhrdiits hi-li mountains, and descends into the woods in tiie mnnth uf October, where it is f^^enerally 

 met witli siui,'^ly or in |)airs, particularly in dull weather, and feeils mi \\orm> and insects. A few remain in the 

 lc\(l country throughout tlieyeai'. 



[The Snipes, commonly so called, are lighter-made, with Ioniser leys, and tibia bare above the joint. Tliey fre- 

 quent marshy districts, and are coloured in adaptation to their abode. 



In Britain, we have three species, very similar in tlieir colouring,— the Great or I)ouble Snipe lAV. mi'Jor\, which 

 approaches in form to a Woodcock, and is only met with in the seasons of passa^'-e ; the Cununon or Whole Snipe 

 (.V. gallinago), which breedb in considerable numbers on the northern hills, and is everywhere common in marshy 

 districts during the winter; and the Half or Jack Snipe {Sc. i/ailhiti/a), a minute species, more richly coloured 

 than the preceding, uifli nnnh Ir-s tail : a fonrih, the S;d]in('\ Snipe {Sc. S<il>},ii), is extremely rare, and exceeds 

 the Common Snipe in si/,e, bus mg dingy iili.nii;ige, \^i(h nn \\biLe upon it. All are highly esteemed for the table.] 



\Ve slioulil distingnish from the other Snipes 

 The Grey species (.v. <7Wic« and Xoroboraccnsis : [MacrorampJius griseus, heach^, wh'w'h is in truth a Tringa 



with a longer bill than usual, similar to that of the Snipes, and retains the gregarious habits and seasonal changes 

 nf rnluin-im,^ of the true Sanrlpipers and Godwits.j Its front tofs are ^emipahnated. This bird is common in Xorth 

 America and occurs as a rare straggler on this sidi' of the Arlantic. 



The Rhyncheans {Rhynch<sa, Cuv.) — 

 Arc African anil Indian l)iri]s, the mandibles of wliicli are nearly e([ual, a lilile arclierl at the end, wirli 

 the nasal grooves extending to the tip of the upper one, "\\hich has no third furn.tw. Tlieir t^e-, arc 

 not palniatcd. To the port of tlie Snipes, they cnnjuin more vi\id cnlunrs, and are jiarticnlarly 

 remarkable i^)\- the oeellated s[)Ots which adorn the quill-frathei-s of tlieir uln^^^ and tail. 



They are fmnid of dilTtrent medh^ys of colnur, which (jnielin bmimlit toirethn- as so many \,'irieties of one 

 species (Sc. cojiensis), and whicli Temminck also believes to be the saine at ditlereiit ages, (.ine pcib ctly distinct 

 has, however, been received from Brazil (LUi. Iiilarea, Val.) 



The GoDW'iTs (L/n/osa, Cechst.) — 

 Have a straight bill, sometimes a little arcuated upwards, and still longer than iu the Snipes, the 

 nasal groove extending almost to tlie tiii, \\hich is rather suit and de]ircs<,ed, but without additional 

 furrow, or punctation. The external toes are palmated at liase. Tlieir form is much more attenuated, 

 and legs considerably more elevateil, than in the Snipes, and they frequent salt marshes and the shores 

 of the ocean [changing to rufous on the under-parls and partially abnve in the breeding season, as in 

 many Sandpipers, to "which their gregarious habits are more nearly rdatcil than to those of the Snipes. 



Two species are imt luironiiiHjn on the British shores, viz., the Bar-tailed God\\it (L. ri'/c), whtcli breeds inorp 

 to the nm'th, and aljonnds duiing the seasons of passage, and tliroughout the winter ; and tlio I'diu-k-railed Goiiw i[ 

 (L. ;/;'7(///w/-a), which is much taller, with a longer bill, and (in old speciinens) a pciiuK.trd nmldle chiw ; the 

 distal half of its tail is black, and it does not acquire so bright a rufous in the spriir.,^ '1 Ins hird hrrirU in the 

 Jintisli marshes, and can pick up and subsist on barley, upon \\hicli numbers are fed that are brought fiuni HliI- 

 land to the London markets. There are se\ei"al otlirrs.] 



The SANi>ripr:RS {(.'al/dris, Cuv.; Tnnga,'^- Tcni.) — 

 Have the tip of the beak depressed, and ilie nasal furrow ver) lung, as in the Codwils, hut the luandj- 

 hles in general are not bmgcr than the head ; their toes, slightly bordered, liave no palinatioii at the 

 base, ai'd the back-tije hardly reaches tu the ground ; iheir legs but moderately elevated, and abbre- 

 viated furm, impart a In-avier carriage than that *)\' the Godwits. Their size also is much :>maller. 

 [Tlie author separates his group Pelidna, merely on the character of having tiie hoak a trllle longer 

 than the bead, a difference which in several sjiecies depends merely on age or sex ; the iVmalcs of all 

 the present family having a [uoportiuually longer l>eak than the males, besides exceeding them a litllc 

 in stature. 



Numerous species are Ibund, more or less regularly, on the British shores: the principal of which are— the 

 Knot Sandpiper (7'/-. rami/n^), Ibc si/r eif a Siiipi', and ashy-grey above, white below, with some dusky spots on 

 the breast in winter, sutkused \^ illi bright t^Ti-nginous in tlie spring; bill sliort and str;ught ; it is a i-ninmun species, 

 and occurs in large flocks durin- the si asons uf jiassag-e and through the winter, lefinn^- further north to breed- 

 The Pur])le Sandpiper (7V. iin'ri/imi'), is smalh'i- and less gregarious, and iirefers rocky shores ; bark cmpur[i!ed. 

 the feathers margined with -re\ 1.-.I1 diinm: ibe u inter. The rest are placed b\ the author in his /■. 7/////, f. 'ihe 

 I'urre Sand]iiper (Tr. raruibili.^,), still smaller, with a ralher longer and more aiciiaied lull, culuLired ui w inter l;Ke 



