18G PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



Scolopaz qfricanus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. 1788, i. 655. 



Tringa subarquata, Temminck, Man. 1820, ii. 609. Vieillot, Nouv. Diet, xxxiv. 

 1819, 454. Nuttall, Man. 1834, ii. 104. Jenyns, Man. 1835, 208. Audubon, 

 Orn. Biog. 1835, iii. 444; id. Birds Amer. 1842, v. 269, tab. 333; id. Syn. 

 1839. Schinz, Eur. Faun. 1840, i. 320. Maegillivray, Man. Brit. Orn. 1842, 

 ii. 71. Giraud, Birds L. I. 1844, 237. Schlegel, Rev. Crit. 1844, 88. Dekay, 

 N. Y. Fauna, 1844, 239, tab. 95, fig. 213. Gray, Genera, 1849, iii. 579. 

 Degland, Orn. Eur. 1849, ii. 225. Meyer, Brit. Birds, 1857, v. 91. Nilsson. 

 Scand. Faun. 1858, ii. 239. 



Pelidna subarquata, Bonaparte, Comp. List, 1838, 50; id. Rev. Crit. 1850, 185. 



Ancylocheilus subarquata, Kaup, Eur. Thierw. 1829. Parzudaki, Cat. Ois. Eur. 

 1856, 14. 



Numenius subarquata, Bechstein, Nat. Deut. iv. 148, fide Temminck. 



Numenius pygmceus, Bechstein, Nat. Deut. iv. 135, fide Temminck. 



Numenius ferrugineus, Meyer, fide Vieillot. 



Numenius qfricanus, Latham, Ind. Orn. 1790, ii. 712. 



Erolia variegata, Vieillot, Anal. 1816; id. Nouv. Diet. 1817, x. 409, secundum 

 Gen. Rep. Lesson, Man. 1828, ii. 302. 



JEroliavaria, Vieillot, Gal. des Ois. 1834, ii. 89, tab. cexxxi. ; (=Erolia variegata.) 



Falcinellus cursorius, Temminck, fide Parzudaki. 



Tringa (Tringa) subarquata, Bonaparte, Speech. Comp. 1827, 62. 



Pelidna (Ancylocheilus) subarquata, Bonaparte, Cat. Met, 1842, 60. 



Tringa (Erolia) subarquata, Cassin, Gen. Rep. 1858, 718. 



Sp. Char. Form typical of the genus. Adult. Crown of head and entire 

 upper parts lustrous greenish black, each feather tipped and deeply indented 

 with bright yellowish red. Wing coverts ashy brown, each feather with a 

 shaft line of dusky and with reddish edging. Primaries deep dusky, their 

 shafts brown at base and black at tip, the central portion nearly white. Upper 

 tail coverts white with broad bars of dusky, and tinged at their extremity with 

 reddish. Tail light greyish with greenish reflections. Sides of the neck and 

 entire under parts uniform deep brownish red. Under tail coverts barred with 

 dusky. Axillars and under wing coverts white. Bill and legs greenish black. 

 Young in autumn. Crown of head and back brownish black, with a slight 

 greenish lustre, each feather edged with white or reddish yellow. Rump plain 

 dusky, upper tail coverts white. Wing coverts with broad greyish-white 

 borders. Tail light ashy, edged and tipped with white, the central feathers 

 with a subterminal dusky border in addition. Under parts entirely white, the 

 breast and sides of the neck finely streaked with dusky, the former with a light 

 buff tinge. 



Length 85, wing 4-9. Bill (average) 1*5. Tarsus 1-3; toe -9; tibia bare -7. 



Habitat. "Atlantic coast of United States; rare. Europe, Asia, Africa." 

 (Gen. Rep.) 



The variations in both plumage and dimensions which this species presents 

 are very great, fully equal to those exhibited by Tringa canutus. I have given 

 above the colors of the adult and of the young of the first fall, between which 

 there may be found every gradation, more especially in reference to the red of 

 the under parts, which at different ages appears as mottling of greater or less 

 extent. The species may, however, be easily recognised in every stage of 

 plumage by its generic characters. The single American specimen before me 

 differs from European skins in a shorter stouter bill, in a shorter tarsus and 

 toes, and in a remarkably abbreviated hind toe. 



There has been considerable confusion among writers with regard to the 

 synonymy of this species. It has received quite a variety of both generic and 

 specific appellations, and from its many changes of plumage several nominal 

 species have arisen. The bird was first mentioned, in 1775, by Guldenstaedt, 

 (Nov. Comm. ut supra,) who introduced it under the name of Scolopax subar- 

 quata. This specific appellation is the one which has been employed by most 





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