Order  VII.  GRALLJE. 
Family  III.  Scolopacid^e. 
The  fifth  Subfamily, 
SCOLOPACIN^:,  or  Snipes, 
have  the  Bill  long,  straight,  rather  slender,  compressed  on  the  sides,  and  rather  depressed,  and  turned 
down  near  the  tip,  which  is  obtuse  and  bent  over  that  of  the  lower  mandible ;  the  nostrils  placed  in  a 
narrow  longitudinal  groove  with  the  opening  linear,  and  covered  by  a  membrane ;  the  Wings  moderate 
and  pointed ;  the  Tail  short  and  rounded ;  the  Tarsi  more  or  less  long,  and  covered  in  front  with 
narrow  transverse  scales  ;  the  Toes  long,  rather  slender,  with  the  hind  toe  short,  elevated,  and  reaching 
to  the  ground. 
Macroramphus  Leach.* 
Bill  long,  straight,  and  laterally  grooved  to  near  the  tip,  which  is  dilated  and  obtuse ;  the  nostrils 
basal,  lateral,  placed  in  the  groove,  with  the  opening  oblong  and  exposed.  Wings  long  and  pointed, 
with  the  first  and  second  quills  equal  and  longest.  Tail  short  and  slightly  rounded.  Tarsi  rather 
slender,  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  and  covered  in  front  with  narrow  transverse  scales ;  the  apical 
half  of  the  tibia  bare  of  plumes.  Toes  moderate  and  slender,  with  the  lateral  toes  margined  on  the  sides, 
and  united  to  the  middle  one,  especially  the  outer,  in  which  the  union  extends  to  the  first  joint ;  the 
hind  toe  elevated  and  short. 
This  migratory  species  is  found  in  Europe  and  North  America,  where  it  lives  in  compact  flocks,  and  frequents  the 
marshes  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  sea,  sand  bars,  and  mud  flats  at  low  water  in  search  of  its  food,  which  consists  of 
small  molluscous  animals.  They  fly  very  rapidly,  sometimes,  observes  Wilson,  wheeling,  coursing,  and  doubling  along 
the  surface  of  the  marshes,  then  shooting  high  into  the  air,  and  there  separating  and  forming  in  various  bodies,  uttering 
a  kind  of  quivering  whistle. 
M.  griseus  (Gmel.)  Leach,  Wils.  Amer.  Orn.  pi.  58.  f.  1.  —  Sco-  I  Vieill. ;  Limosa  scolopacea  Say,  Gould,  B.  of  Eur.  pi.  323.,  Auduu. 
lopax  noveboracensis    Gmel. ;    S.  Paykullii    Nils.  ;    S.  leucophaea  j  B.  of  Amer.  pi.  335.,  Pr.  Bonap.  Amer.  Orn.  pL,  23.  f.  3. 
Gallinago  Leach,  f 
Bill  long,  straight,  grooved,  and  compressed  on  the  sides,  and  the  culmen  rather  depressed  near  the 
tip,  which  is  obtuse,  and  curved  over  that  of  the  lower  mandible  ;  the  nostrils  basal,  placed  in  the 
*  Established  by  Leach  in  1816  (Catal.  of  British  Birds).    Lymnodromus  of  the  Prince  of  Neuwied  is  synonymous, 
f  Leach  established  this  division  in  1816  {Catal.  of  British  Birds).     I  suspect  the  species  form  the  first  division  of  Numenius  of 
Linnaeus  (1735).     Telmatkis  of  M.  Boie  (1826),  and  Ascalopax  of  Count  Keyserling  and  Dr.  Blasius  (1840)  are  synonymous. 
