24G 



AYES. 



stouter and proportionally le^s no\il)lc tlian in tlie preceiling, is used by tiiem to turn over stones to 

 search for the worms that lie heneaili them. [Its form is nor unlike that of a Nuthateh's bilh] 



Tbe two species doubtfully indicated by the author are merely the same in different states of plumae;e : it 

 is a bird of reniarknljly wide ,2:eoi,fraphic ranD;e, and tolerably plentiful on the British coasts : its aftinitv is rather 



with the Oyster-catchers and I'luvers]. 



The Gambets (Totanvs, Cnv.) — 

 Have a slemler, round, pointed, and solid heak, the na^^al groove of which only extends half its leugth, 

 and the upper mandibli' is slightly arcuated towards the tip. Their form is sliglit, anil legs elevated: 

 the thum)) hardly touches the ground, aud the palmation of their outer toe is well-marked. The 

 species are each found nearly all over the world, [or rather, there are many dilheult of dcterunnation 

 apart, which has induced the latter npininu.] 



The Greenshank Gambet {-^col. glottis, Lin.). — As large as a [rather small] Godwit, with the beak comparatively 

 stout, [and a little recurved] ; ashy-brown above and on the sides, with the margins of the feathers punctated with 

 brown, the croup and belly white, and tail rayed with narrow irregular bars grey and white ; the feet g-reen : in 

 summer the throat and breast are spotted with dusky tears, which disappear after tlue breeding season. This is 

 the lars^est species of Gambet in Eurojie. [It breeds on the margins of lakes, including those of Britain, and 

 during the season of propagation is very clamorous, rising on the wing and spreading an alarm at the approach of 

 danger to all other birds within hearing: in winter it resorts to the sea-shore in small flocks, apparently the 

 amount of broods. The Greenshank is a characteristic example of a particular - I'uip, tlu- members of which are 

 comparatively large, acquire more or less of a dusky colour on the under-jiarts towards the breeding season, and 

 agree in their general habits, mostly freijuenting fresh-water lakes. An allied species of North America {Tot. semi' 

 pnhnatus) has the toes half-webbed, and has been known to occur in Europe as a straggler. The Dusky Gambet 

 (T./zf^nw) is another European species, more dehcately formed, with particularly slender beak aud feet, and 

 beautifully barred tail and coverts, which becnmes entirely suffused on the under-parts with fuliginous-black in 

 the spring, and is rare in Britain. A fourth (T. caliitris), the Redshank Gambet, is very abundant in Britain, 

 breeding also not uncommonly in marshes near the sea-shore, and especially about the estuaries of rivers. 



Others acquire no colour on the undcr-parts in sprinir. and mostly breed in the marshes, where they trip across 

 the broad floating leaves of :u\u:\ti<- pl^nit:^ wiih gran' .md ii-ility : ^uch are, particularly, those with longer legs, 

 as the delicate Wood Gambet ('/'. .jlarcohi), wlii'h i:s .sunietii]i<s found in Britain, the 7'. stagnaialis, Bechst., of 

 eastern Europe, and T. chloropijgius of North America : one more common in this country, with shorter legs, and 

 a conspicuous white i-ump as it flies, is the Green Gambet (T. of/zro^//*), which conducts into the next minor group. 



The others, at least those of Europe, are still smaller, and fandliarly known as Summer .^n/pes in England. One 

 very common may be termed the Common Gambet (T. /i>/poleiicos), which in 'America is represented by a species 

 with a breast spotted like that of a Thrush {T. maailario). Another in Europe, still more diminutive (T. Tcm- 

 mi/irkii or pirA-i/la), has been generally classed with the Sandpipers, but strictly appertains to the present group 

 both in structure and habits, being never found on the sea-shore, but frequenting inland waters like its true 

 congeners, allot which jerk the tail and nod the head frequently as they run about, and emit a char whislliug 

 note. There are many others in foreign parts.] 



The Lobefoot (Lo/j/pcs, Cuv.), — 

 "Wliich we ccmsidcr ought to he scjiarated from the Phalaropcs, which 

 it rcicmhles in the lolialion (d' its loev, is distinguished from them by 

 its hill, which is that of a Gamhet. Such is 



The Reil-necked Lobefoot (Tringa Jnipi'rhorrn, Lin.).— A liltle binl, grey 

 above, white below, tinted with rufous on the scapularies, and having a broad 

 red gorget round its white throat. Add the Phataropus frenatus, Vieillot; 

 or Holopodiiis []l'i/soiiii] of jM. C. Bonaparte, [whic-h is found in America 

 generally. The lirwt-named species breeds in the northern isles of Scotland, 

 iiihid)iting marshy grounds, whei-e it cannot be .iblained without much difh- 

 culti, though fur from being timid in its disposition]. 



The Stilts (Ilimontojjus, Brisson) — 

 Have a round heak, slender and pointed, even more so tlian in the 

 Gambets ; tlie grooves of the nostrils e\ten<Ung only half-way. j3ut 

 what particularly distinguishes them, and has given origin to tlicir 

 name, is the inordinate length and slenderness of their legs, which 

 are reticulated and destitute of hind-toe, and the bones of which are 

 so feeble as to render w;dking iiainful to them. 

 Iprt on** sn'^'-ies is knuvvn in \'. 



lather 



iirnpe (I'/iona/rius hiinnntnpii 

 bhu'k r^lott'^ -ind n)antlp, and long red k'gs. Jt 



Lin. ; [IT. Pliii/I, Anct.j ; wii 

 aud little is knoun of its mai 



