236 NEW- YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



GENUS HETEROPODA. Nuttall. 



Bill straight, rather enlarged, and punctate at the extremity. Tarsus moderate : the three 

 anterior toes united at base by a membrane ; the outer to the middle toe, as far as the first 

 joint. 

 Obs. A small artificial group, connected with the following genus. 



THE SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 



Heteropoda semipalmata. 



plate lxxxvi. fig. 195. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Tringa semipalmata. Wilson, Am. Ornithology, Vol. 7, p. 131, pi. G3, fig. 4. 



T. (Hemipalmn) id. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol.2, p. 316. 



T. id. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 381. 



T. (Heteropoda) id. Ndttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 136. 



Heteropoda id. Bonaparte, Geog. and Comp. List, p. 49. Aodubon, B. of Am. Vol. 5, p. 277, pi. 33r>. 



T. id. Kirtland, Zool. Ohio, p. 165. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 230. 



Characteristics. Bill somewhat shorter than the head, straight. Rump blackish : middle 

 tail-feathers longest ; beneath white. Winter, dark ash above. Sum- 

 mer, mixed grey and rufous above. Length, 6 ' 0. 



Description. Bill enlarged and flattened towards the end, rugose and acutely pointed at 

 the tip. Tibia naked for about a fourth of its length : tarsus moderately long, compressed ; 

 hind toe short. First quill longest. Tail with its feathers pointed, short ; the middle feathers 

 longest. 



Color. Bill black ; the legs dusky olive approaching to black. Upper part of the head, 

 cheeks, and back and sides of the neck greyish ash streaked with dusky ; the remaining 

 upper parts dusky brown ; the feathers edged with greyish and rufous. Frontlet, and line 

 over the eye light grey. Quills dusky, rather lighter on their inner vanes. Beneath entirely 

 while, except the breast and front of the neck, which are ash-grey with darker streaks. 



Length, 5" 5 -6" 5. 



This little Sandpiper, for a bird of its small size, varies greatly in its dimensions : the 

 females are largest. It ranges from the Antilles to the borders of the Artie circle, breeding 

 from Labrador northwardly. It appears in this State in May, and many remain with us 

 during the whole summer and late in the autumn. I have shot them in the early part of 

 August, on the seacoast of Long island ; from which I infer that some at least breed there. 

 It is not only common along the seaboard, but in the interior on our great lakes, and has been 

 observed on the Columbia river. Eggs white, spotted with brown. Its incubation, according 

 to Mr. Audubon, takes place in Labrador, from the middle to the end of August. It resem- 

 bles very much the T. pusilla, but is easily distinguished by its feet and bill. 



