NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 229 



waders, both for their beauty and elegance of form, and their grace and ac- 

 tivity of movement ; whether running swiftly along the sandy shore, or swim- 

 ming buoyantly on the water, or stepping lightly over the floating leaves of 

 aquatic plants, their motions are equally pleasing. Their lobed feet make 

 them perfectly at home on the water, and they are often seen at a considera- 

 ble distance from laud. The fab car ius and hyperboreus are both known by the 

 uncouth and inappropriate, thougli curious name of " Sea-geese." 



Gallinago Wilsoni (Temm.) Bon. Wilson's Snipe. 



Scolopax Wilsoni, Aud., Birds Amer. v. 339, pi. 350. 

 Gallinago Wilsoni, Cassin, Gen. Rep. 710. 



From the accounts of the natives, I should judge that the Snipe is abundant 

 in Labrador, as it is in most parts of the United States. I met with but a 

 single individual. 



Maororhamphus griseus (Gm.) Leach. Red-breasted Snipe. 



Scolopax noveboracensis, Aud. Birds Amer. vi. 10, pi. 351. 

 Macrorhamphus griseus, Cassin, Gen. Rep. 712. 



I procured a single individual of this species in immature plumage on the 

 23d of August, but I learned nothing further respecting it than that it is known 

 by the name of " Brown-back." 



Tringa canutds Linn. Red-breasted Sandpiper. 



Tringa islandica, Aud. Birds Amer. v. 254, pi. 328. 

 Tringa ( Tringa) canutus, Cassin, Gen. Rep. 715. 



This large Sandpiper I met with for the first time at Henley Harbor, on the 

 21st of August, when the Tringas and small Waders generally had commenced 

 their southern migration. A few specimens were procured, in immature plu- 

 mage, showing but slight traces of reddish on the under parts. 



ACTODROMAS Kaup. 



Actodromas, Kaup., Sk. Ent. Eur. Thierw. 1829. Typus Tringa minuta Leisl. 



Gen. char. Bill about as long as, or very little longer than, the head, 

 straight, slender, compressed, the tip very slightly expanded. Both mandi- 

 bles deeply grooved to the expansion of the tip. Wings long ; the first and 

 second primaries about equal, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries short, 

 obliquely incised at the ends ; tertials long, slender, flowing. Tail rather long, 

 doubly emarginate, the central feathers projecting. Tibia bare for two-thirds 

 the length of the tarsus. Tarsus about equal to the bill, and equal to the 

 middle toe. Toes entirely free at base, and but very slightly margined. Hind 

 toe very short. 



The characters of this genus are well marked and decided, and are very dif- 

 ferent from those of Tringa, with which it is usually associated. In the latter, 

 the bill is very stout, much expanded at tip, and considerably longer than the 

 head or tarsus ; the tertials short, thick and comparatively stiff; the tarsus is 

 much longer than the toes, which are very short, stout and widely margined ; 

 the tibial feathers reach nearly to the joint, and the tail is nearly even, with 

 the central feathers not projecting. The pattern of coloration is very different. 

 In all these particulars of form and proportion, Tringa has very little simi- 

 larity to Actodromas, which is well worthy of full generic rank. As already 

 indicated, the essential characters of the latter lie in the proportions of the 

 bill, tarsus and toe, which are of equal length, and in the doubly emarginate 

 tail. Other features are found in the elongated tertials, long, much exposed 

 tibise, almost entire want of margins of the toes, &c. The known species are 

 very similar in general pattern of coloration, all having the upper parts varied 



1861.] 



