THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
Between these wide extremes of form, however, there are genera possessing 
characters intermediate in almost every conceivable degree — ^so much so as 
to render it extremely difficult to tabulate the characters of the numerous 
genera.” 
Perhaps the most exphcit account is that given by Coues {Key to North Amer. 
Birds, 2nd ed., 1884, p. 614) : — 
“ Snipe and their allies form a well-defined and perfectly natural 
assemblage, one of the two largest hmicoHne families, agreeing with Plover in 
most essential respects yet well distingmshed from the pluviaHne birds. In 
general, the bill is much elongated, frequently several times longer than the 
head, and in those cases in which it is as short as in plover, it does not show 
the particular, somewhat pigeon-like shape described under Charadriidce, 
being slender and soft skinned throughout. It is generally straight, but 
frequently curved up or down. The nasal grooves, always long and narrow 
channels, range from one-half to almost the whole length of the bill ; similar 
grooves usually occupy the sides of the under mandible ; the interramal 
space is correspondingly long and narrow, and nearly naked. This length, 
slenderness, grooving and peculiar sensitiveness, are the prime characteristics 
of the scolopacine bill.” 
This definition of the bill it is impossible to amend. The wings are long 
and pointed with the first primary longest. The legs are long or short as 
admitted by Ridgway, etc. 
A review of the genera admitted and their relationships cannot be 
entered into here, but the questions raised will be discussed under each 
genus admitted. As before noted, I have forsaken the lumping policy 
adopted in my “ Reference List ” on account of its great tendency to 
propagate and encourage errors. In the words of Coues once more : 
“If so great a subdivision ... as is here presei^ted be objected to, 
it is rephed that the variations in external form are so great that a single 
genus, in the modern acceptation of the term, cannot contain them 
all ; and if more than one genus be adopted ... it is not easy to 
stop short of the number here adopted.” 
Though in the genera Numenius, Limosa, and some others, it has been 
recorded that the female is larger with a noticeable long bill, I find that 
this feature, according to my measurements, runs all through the family. 
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