106 SCOLOPACINJE. RUSTICOLA. 
the northern parts, where it breeds, depositing in a slight 
hollow its four eggs, which are an inch and three-fourths in j 
length, an inch and a third in breadth, yellowish-white, 
clouded and spotted with grey and reddish-brown. The fe- 
male is considerably larger than the male, and both sexes 
vary a good deal in their tints. The species is extensively 
distributed, but does not occur in North America, the “ wood- 
cock” of which is smaller, and belongs to a different genus. 
Scolopax Rusticola, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 243.— Scolopax 
Rusticola, Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 713. — Scolopax Rusticola, 
Temm. Man. d’Ornith. ii. 673. — Rusticola sylvestris, Wood- 
cock, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, iv. 
Among the birds usually named Waders, Grallae, or Gral- 1 
latores, we have seen that there are some which generally 
inhabit sandy deserts, and therefore have little opportunity j 
of wading, even if they had the inclination ; but of these, : 
the Ostriches, none occur in Britain, or even in Europe. 
Others, the Bustards and other allied species, frequent dry 
pastures and ploughed fields, and are by no means remark- s 
able for wading, any more than many of the Plover tribe, ; 
most of which, however, have no hesitation in running out 
into shallow water. Then followed the Tringinae, Totaninse, 
and Scolopacinae, all of which are marsh or shore birds, and 
obtain their food by probing the mud and wet sands. We 
now come to a group differing considerably in form and struc- ' 
ture from all these, frequenting marshy places, and even 
swimming habitually, some of them being as truly aquatic : 
in their habits as the Natatores, but all running also on land, 
and that with great speed. These birds, for which I adopt 
Mr Blythe’s name of Skulkers, Latitrices, are very nearly 
allied to the Perdicinae and some other Gallinaceous birds. 
They form an order, of which, however, only a single family 
exists, it being very inexpedient to separate the slender- | 
billed Rails from the thick- billed Gallinules, especially as 
the number of species is not very great, and those which 
occur in Britain few. < 
