The Glossy Ibis (229. Ibis Ordii) is a beautiful bird, reddish chocolate, with green and purple wings, closely resembling the Egyptian sacred Ibis. The young has the head and neck grayish. It is not rare in the extensive marshes of this State in summer, and often shot and sold by the name of "Black Curlew," being pretty good eating. It is about two feet in height, and as heavy as a hen.

Of the Plover family there are several species, three of which are from the size of a dove to that of a pigeon, and therefore considered game, though the others are sometimes shot and eaten. All are usually fat and very good eating.

The Swiss, or Black-bellied Plover, (230. Squatarola Helvetica), is the largest, and frequents the sea-shore in small flocks in winter. It is not so good as those found inland. It is also found on nearly all sea-coasts.

The Golden Plover (231. Charadrius Virginicus) is nearly as large, and beautifully spotted with small round yellow dots, which are wanting in winter, the whole bird being then of a light gray. They chiefly frequent grassy plains in large flocks, and are also common in the Eastern States.

The Mountain Plover (232. Egialitis montanus) is a smaller, brownish-gray bird, found only west of the Mississippi, frequenting the dry plains in summer, in pairs or broods, and in winter coming west of the Sierra Nevada, especially southward, where they form large flocks. As game, they are very similar to the last, and usually very fat.

The Killdeer (233. Ægialitis vociferus) is a pretty bird, frequenting brook-sides, very unsuspicious, and often noisy, its name being derived from its common note. It is scarcely a game bird. There are two other little species found along the sea shore, the first in winter, the second constantly. They are not larger than blackbirds, and not often shot unless in flocks of sand-pipers. The first is called Ring Plover, the second Snowy Plover, and both are prettily marked about the head. (234. Ægialitis semipalmatus, and 235. Æ. nivosa). The Surf-bird (236. Aphriza virgata) is a rare and little known species, found on rocky coasts among the foam of the waves in winter. It is more properly a bird of the Sandwich Islands and South America.

The Oyster-Catchers are rather larger than pigeons, and our two species are black with red bills, the first with red feet, the second white beneath. They are not very common, but found along rocky or sandy shores, where they feed on shell-fish, the bill being flattened like an oyster-knife for the purpose of opening the shells. (237.

Hæmatopus niger, and 238. H. palliatus). The last is also found on the Atlantic coast.

The Turnstones are similar, but not half as large, and in summer plumage much varied in colors, but here usually found only black and white. They chiefly frequent the rocky sea coasts, and are good eating, though rarely killed. (239. Strepsilas interpres, and 240. S. melanocephalus). The first is also common eastward, and on the old continent.

The Avocet (241. Recurvirostra Americana) is nearly all white, with black patches on the back. It is sometimes called White Curlew, but its bill turns up instead of downwards. It frequents shallow pools away from the coast, and is often killed in large numbers, being nearly as heavy as a quail, though slender, and over a foot in height.

The Black-necked Stilt (242. Himantopus nigricollis) is nearly as tall as the last, but remarkably slender in all parts, its body not weighing half as much. It is rather rare and solitary in habits, frequenting the borders of clear water, chiefly inland.

The Snipe family may be distinguished from the preceding longbilled and small waders by being of a mottled brown, black, and yellowish pattern of colors. The American Snipe (243. Gallinago Wilsonii) is usually called "English," but differs from any species of the old continent. It frequents the soft marshes and fields in great numbers in the colder months, and affords excellent sport to the gunner, besides being the best small game-bird for the table. They weigh about three ounces.

The Long-billed and Robin Snipes do not differ much in plumage, but the first is the largest, and more partial to fresh water ponds, while the latter frequents salt marshes, often in large flocks. They are both shot for market, though inferior to the preceding as food. (244. Macroramphus scolopaceus; and, 245. S. griseus.)

There are several little species of Sandpipers, from the size of the preceding down to that of a Sparrow, which much resemble each other while visiting us in the colder months, and are usually confounded by gunners as various ages of one species, though differing much both in anatomical characters and in summer plumage. They frequent chiefly the brackish marshes near the seashore, and are shot in large numbers, from ten to fifty being killed at one shot, so densely do they fly, several species usually together. The first and largest is distinguished as JackSnipe, the others often called Sand-Snipe. The last has only three toes on each foot, like the Plovers. (246. Actodromas maculata; 247. A. minutilla; 248. Pelidna Americana; 249. Ereunetes occidentalis; 250.

Calidris arenaria.) All of this family are also found in the Atlantic States, and some also inland, especially Nos. 243, 244, 246.

The Willet (250. Symphemia semipalmata) is a large bird, about equal in size to a Pigeon, gray, with white and black wings. It frequents bays, and is brought to market, although inferior to many other birds as food. It is found in all parts of America.

The Yellow-legs (252. Gambetta melanoleuca) is nearly as large, and thickly spotted with white. It is more solitary, but found in all marshy places, where its vigilant whistle often alarms other birds and brings on it the gunner's vengeance, though it is a poor bird for the table. It is also called Tell-tale, Tattler, and Stone-Snipe.

We have also three smaller species, ranging from the size of a Jay to that of a Sparrow, and usually found solitary, or in small families. The first frequents only the rocky shores and islands of the Pacific. The other two are found about fresh waters throughout North America. (253. Heteroscelus brevipes; 254. Rhyacophilus solitarius; 255. Tringoides macularius.)

The Buff-breasted Snipe, or "Grass Plover," (256. Tryngites rufescens), is found throughout America and Europe, chiefly in grassy, and often dry places. It is like a short-billed Snipe, as large as a Dove, and though solitary, a good game-bird.

The Godwit, (257. Limosa fedoa) is often confounded with the Curlews, which it resembles in colors, but has the bill turned upwards. It is of the size of a Pigeon, and frequents chiefly the seashore of the whole western continent. It is eighteen or twenty inches long, (the bill four to five), and is a good game-bird.

The Long-billed Curlew (258. Numenius longirostris) is the largest of the Snipe family, measuring eighteen inches without the bill, which is seven to nine inches long, and sometimes weighing nearly two pounds. They frequent the mud-flats, and also the grassy plains of the interior, feeding there on grasshoppers, and are considered among our best gamebirds. This species is found throughout the United States.

A smaller Curlew (259. Numenius Hudsonicus) is found occasionally, migrating along our coast in spring and fall, as they do along the eastern coast. They are a third smaller, weighing about one pound.

The Phalaropes are little snipe-like birds, with lobed webs along the margins of the toes, and able to swim actively, as they do, both along the sea-shore in little lagoons, or far out at sea, where their presence often misleads the mariner to suppose that land is near. They visit us only in winter, though one species is supposed to spend the summer

about our mountain lakes. (260. Phalaropus hyperboreus; 261. P. fulicarius; 261. P. Wilsonii?)

The American Gallinule (263. Gallinula galeata) is a marsh bird, allied to the Rails, about fourteen inches long, and olive-colored above; head, neck and body gray; bill and eye red; legs greenish yellow. They are not so common here as in the southern Atlantic States. Like the following larger Rails, they are often called Marsh-hens.

The Greater, or King-Rail, (264. Rallus elegans), is common in the fresh or brackish marshes of this State, as well as across this continent. They are killed for market in large numbers, and considered good food, although inferior to the smaller species. They measure eighteen or nineteen inches in length, and weigh one to one and a half pounds.

The Clapper-Rail, (265. Rallus crepitans), is a very similar, but smaller species, frequenting only the salt marshes. It is fourteen or fifteen inches long, and weighs eight or ten ounces.

The Virginia Rail (266. Rallus Virginianus) is like a miniature of the first, and is also found throughout the United States in similar places. They measure nine to ten and a half inches, and are very good eating, but not anywhere numerous.

The Carolina Rail, or Sora (267. Porzana Carolina), is smaller than the last, and with a black stripe from the crown of the head down the throat to the breast (wanting in the female), back brown, grayish beneath. In the Atlantic States it is a favorite game-bird, but has not yet become so here, where so many larger birds are common.

The Yellow Rail (268. Porzana Noveboracensis) still smaller, is also found across the continent, but more rarely obtained, and not of much interest.

The Black, or Jamaica Rail (269. Porzana Jamaicensis) is a curious species, little larger than a sparrow, beautifully dotted with white. It rarely flies, but creeps through the long marsh-grasses, and is rarely obtained except when driven out by high tides or caught by a dog.

The American Coot (270. Fulica Americana), often called Mud-hen, is a slaty-blue, duck-like bird, very numerous throughout the United States, but not much eaten, though chiefly a vegetable eater. They are, therefore, very tame and unsuspicious, frequenting every pond and marsh at times. They weigh about a pound, have shorter necks and legs than the Rails, and are remarkable for having broad lobes, like webs, along the edges of the toes, enabling them to swim as well as run, thus forming a link with the Water Birds.

WATER BIRDS.

ORDER NATATORES-SWIMMERS.

Of these we have nearly ninety species, most of them found only on or near the salt waters. They are all connected together by the fact of being web-footed, although this does not form a natural division any more than it would among Mammals.

The Swans are of two species, the first a third larger than the other, but are nearly alike in their snowy plumage. A few are killed every winter as far south as San Francisco. They are not considered equal to the geese for the table. (271. Cygnus buccinator; 272. C. Americanus.) The latter only is found on the Atlantic side.

The Snow Ceese are also of two species, differing chiefly in size, and are both white with black quills. The first and larger kind is numerous in the colder months, both along the coast and inland, but they are not considered so good for the table as the brant. (273. Anser hyperboreus; 274. A. albatus.)

The Black-bellied Goose (275. Anser Gambellii) is a gray species with reddish bill and orange feet. It is less aquatic than the rest, feeding more on grass, and probably the best of all for the table. They weigh four to five pounds, and are more common here than near the Atlantic.

The Canada Goose, or Brant (276. Bernicla Canadensis) is a large species, often tamed, and well known in captivity by the white patch on its cheeks. It is commoner toward the north and eastward, but rarely seen on salt water, and is the largest of our species, often weighing seven pounds. Some are believed to nest about our mountain lakes. Hutchins' Brant (277. Bernicla Hutchinsii) is like a miniature of the last, having even the white patch on each side of the head, and is much more common here, while the case is reversed on the Atlantic coast. It is of about the same size and weight as the Anser Gambelii. The Ring-necked Brant (275. Bernicla leucopareia) is a very similar species, with a white ring around the base of its neck, and probably a visitor here from Asia, being rare.

The Black Brant (279. Bernicla nigricans) is entirely black, except the rump, and a narrow ring round the middle of the neck. It is entirely a salt-water species while here, living on grasses, etc., in the bays, not often killed, and very rare along the Atlantic coast. It is much smaller than the last.

The Tree-Goose, (280. Dendrocygna fulva), unlike most of the others,