CATALOGUE OF VERTEBRATES. 595 



"T. solitarius. Solitary Tattler, or Sandpiper. 



Inner web of toes rudimentary ; legs blackish ; bill straight 

 and slender ; white below, breast with dusky suffusion ; above 

 olive brown, streaked and speckled with whitish. Length, 9 

 inches ; tail, 2 J inches ; bill, 1 J inches. 



"Arrives about the 1st of May, and single specimens are scat- 

 tered over meadow lands throughout the State. Is much more 

 abundant during some seasons than others. Builds a nest of 

 grass on the ground, raising but one brood. Congregate on river 

 shores in August, and have all gone by September 15th." 



SYMPHBMIA, Raf. 

 S. semipalmata, Gmel. Willet. Semipalmated Tattler. 



Legs dark or bluish ; toes distinctly webbed at base, even 

 between inner and middle toe ; quills blackish, with basal half 

 white, producing a white patch at base of spread wing ; in sum- 

 mer, plumage brownish gray above, varied with dusky ; below 

 whitish, varied with dusky on chest and sides ; in winter, ash 

 gray above, white below. Length, 12 to 16 inches; tail, 3 

 inches; bill, 2| inches. 



"Arrive in May. Abundant. Breed in the salt marshes, 

 building a nest of grass. Are very noisy, especially during 

 incubation. Are easily decoyed by imitating their whistle. Fly 

 in large flocks, and seldom associate with other birds. Have 

 never seen specimens on our rivers." 



PAVONCELLA, Leach. 

 (Machetes, Cuv.) 



P. pugnax, L. Ruff (male). Reeve (female). 



Web at base of toes ; plumage black, buff and gray above ; 

 white below and on sides of rump, varied on chest ; middle tail 

 feathers barred ; great variation of color in male, scarcely two 

 alike ; provided with a " cape," which is usually black, but may 

 vary to whitish ; also has a " ruff," usually chestnut, either plain, 

 streaked or barred ; face bare ; no ruff or cape in the female ; 

 head completely feathered ; plumage barred with black, buff, 

 white and rusty; white below. Length, 12 inches; tail, 2^ 

 inches; tarsus, If inches; bill, 1J inches. A North European 

 form, occasional on our eastern coast. 



