SCOLOPACIDjE : THE SNIPE FAMILY. 
61T 
The Terekia cinerea of various parts of the Old World, with the hill recurved almost as in an 
avocet, stands between the godwits and tattlers. 
c. The Sandpipers (Tringa, etc.) are a rather extensive group, notable for the variation 
in minor details of form, that it shows with almost every species — a circumstance that has 
caused the erection of a number of unnecessary genera. Here the bill retains much of the 
sensitiveness of a snipe's, and the gape likewise is much restricted ; but the bill is much 
shorter, averaging about equal to the head. One trivial circumstance affords a good clue to 
this group : the tail-feathers are plain-colored, or with simple edgings, while in almost all 
the species of other groups these feathers are barred crosswise. In this group the seasonal 
changes of plumage are very great ; the proportions of the legs, and webbing of the toes, are 
variable with the species, but, as a rule, the toes are cleft to the base (not so in Micropalama 
and Ereunetes), and four in number (except Calidris). The sandpipers belong particularly 
to the northern hemisphere, and breed in high latitudes ; they perform extensive migrations, 
and in winter spread over most of the M'orld. Among them are the most diminutive of waders. 
Fig. 433. — American Snipe, about g nat. size. (From American Field.) 
They are probably without exception gregarious, and often fleck the beach in vast multitudes ; 
they live by preference in open wet places, rather than in fens and marshes, and feed by prob- 
ing, like snipe ; the voice is mellow and piping. They are pretty well distinguished from 
both the foregoingj though Micropalama connects with the snipe through Macrorliamphus ; 
but shade directly into the Tattlers, through such genera as Tryngites and Tringoides. Nearly 
all the forms of sandpipers are described in detail beyond. There are in all about 20 species. 
The only generic form not represented in this country is the Limicola platyrhynclia, the 
peculiarity of which is expressed in its name. The Eurynorhynchus j^ygmceus, a wonderful 
and exceedingly rare species, in which the bill is expanded and flattened at the end, somewhat 
as in the spoonbill, has lately been stated to occur on our Arctic coast. The singular Madietes 
pugnax should perhaps rather come here than among 
