TOTANUS, Bechst. Tem. SCOLOPAX and TRINGA, Lin. Lath. &c. HousEmAN.
Bill of moderate length, straight, rarely recurved, soft at the base, hard, solid, and sharp at the tip, compressed throughout its length, terminating in an acute point ; both mandibles furrowed only at the base, the extremity of the upper slightly bent down on the under; nostrils lateral, linear, longitudinal, cleft in the sulcus ; legs long, slender, naked above the knee, the middle toe united to the outer by a membrane, which sometimes extends to the second articulation. These birds, which travel in small troops, live indiscriminately on the banks of lakes and rivers, and in meadows adjacent to fresh waters, and also at times frequent sea-shores, and the muddy and oozy margins of large rivers. With the hard point of their bill, they pick up worms, testaceous animals, and very rarely fish. They moult twice a-year; and the difference of their winter and summer attire often consists only in a varied distribution of spots and stripes, or in the greater or less purity of the colours.
7. calidris, Bechst. Tern. Long-shankcd Horseman. The moulting young, assuming the winter plumage, are itringa striata, Gmel. The bird, in its perfect summer garb, is Scolonax calidris, and Tringa gambetta, Gmel. Red-shanks, Gambet sand-1iitier, or Pool Snifie. The half of both mandibles red, the rudiment of a membrane uniting the inner to the middle toe ; secondary wing quills white in the half of their length. It weighs about five ounces, and is nearly eleven inches long. In spring, this species inhabits marshes and meadows, and in autumn migrates along sea-shores. It has been traced to high northern latitudes in Europe and America, is very abun dant in Holland, and winters chiefly in southern countries. It is among the few species that still continue to be indi genous in the fenny districts of England, being tolerably plentiful, during the summer months, about Spalding. It makes a slight nest with coarse grass, on a tump, in the more moist or boggy parts, and begins to lay early in May. The number of eggs in each nest is invariably four, and constan,ly placed with their smaller ends in the centre. They are whitish, tinged with olive, and marked with ir regular spots of black, chiefly on the thicker end. In
Orkney, it nestles on the marshy hills, and in summer and in winter it resorts to the sea-shores, where it affects the hollows of muddy and slimy beaches, subsisting on marine vermes and insects. When disturbed, it is extremely clamorous, and flies round the intruder, uttering a shrill piping note, and rousing every bird within hearing of its screams; so that it often incurs the fowler's hate, and for feits its life for having disappointed him of better prey. The red-shank, though similar in its habits to the ruff, will neither fatten nor live long in confinement.
T. hynoleucos, Tem. Tringa hynoleucos, Gmel. and Lath. Common Horseman, or Sand-Infier. Under parts white and spotless. Length eleven inches, and two or three lines. Inhabits Europe and North America, but is migratory, and breeds in the central parts of Europe, visiting this country in spring, and ranging as far north as Kamtschatka and Siberia. It frequents chiefly the sandy and pebbly banks of rivers, and lays, in a small cavity which it scoops out with its feet among the pebbles, four or five eggs, of a sordid white, interspersed with minute blackish spots, and so like the surrounding small stones, as often to escape observation. The young, too, though they run very nimbly, as soon as freed from the egg, squat down among the pebbles on the most trifling alarm, and are not easily distinguished. When disturbed, this bird makes a piping noise as it flies; and when run ring on the ground, the tail is in constant motion. In autumn it is liable to be infested with Hippobosca hirun din is.
1,11.10SA, Briss. Tern. LIMICULA, ViCilh SCOLOPAX, Lin. 00ZE-SUCKER.
Bill very long, more or less recurved, soft and flexible in its whole length, depressed, flattened towards the tip, both mandibles channelled through their length, tip flat, dilated, and obtuse ; nostrils lateral, longitudinally cleft in the sulcus ; legs long and slender ; a large naked space above the knee ; the middle toe united to the outer by a membrane, which extends to the first articulation, the hinder articulated to the tarsus.