3.34 



GEALLAT0EE3, OR WADING BIRDS. 



size from that of the Sparrow to that of the Thrush. Thej arc as 

 follows : — the Brown Sandpiper, called also the Harleqiiin Sand- 

 piper {Totanus fuscus), the Greenshank {Totanus glottis), the 

 Redshank {Totanus caledris), Fig. 125; the Pond Sandpiper; 

 the Wood Sandpiper {Totanus glareola), the Green Sandpiper 

 {Totanus achropus), the Common Sandpiper {Totanus liypoleucos). 

 The last kind is the smallest, and also the most prized. 



The TuKNSTONES {Strepsila) inhabit the sea-coasts of both con- 

 tinents. A single known species alone has been traced over most 

 parts of Europe, the Cape of Good Hope, and Tarious parts of 

 Asia, Australia, and North America. It owes its name to the 

 peculiar method it adopts to find its food. This habit consists of 



lifting up the pebbles and shingles which lie spread over its 

 domain, the sea-shore, in order to discover the worms, Crustacea, 

 and insects concealed underneath. For this purpose it is provided 

 with a bill of medium length, tapering, pointed, and hard, which 

 it uses adroitly as a lever. It lives a solitary life, and does not 

 oven congregate with its own species for the purpose of migra- 

 tion, but travels alone. Only in the North, whither it repairs 

 to breed, does it manifest anj' approach to sociability. The 

 female lays three or four rather largo eggs of an ashj'-grey 



