182 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



aa. Legs relatively slightly shorter, somewhat heavier; toes rela- 

 tively slightly stronger; bill slightly upturned at distal end, 

 decidedly flattened for distal third (sometimes for slightly more). 



VdoJa. 

 After careful consideration and reexamination of a series of the four 

 species these distinctions appear to be too slight and too inconstant 

 to merit recognition as of generic value. The genus Limosa is used 

 therefore in the present connection as the proper one for Limosa 

 lappo7iica haucri. 



' 21. PisOBiA ACUMINATA (Horsfield). 



Totanus acuminatus Horsfield, Trans. Linn. soc. London, 1821, 13, p. 192. 

 (Java) . 



Three specimens were secured at Taritari in the Gilbert Islands on 

 6 January, 1900. The species does not appear to have been recorded 

 previously from this group. 



22. Aechmorhynchus parvirostris (Peale). 



Tringa parvirostris Peale, U. S. explor. exped., 1848, 8, p. 235. (Dog or 

 Honden, and Raraka Islands, Paumotii Group). 



An adult female w^as shot on Whitsunday Atoll, Paumotu Islands, 

 31 October, 1899. Tringa parvirostris of Peale has been referred to 

 Tringa cancellata Gmelin (Syst. nat., 1789, 1, pt. 2, p. 675) which is 

 based on the Barred phalarope of Latham. In Latham's original 

 description (Gen. syn. birds, 1785, 3, pt. 1, p. 274) it is stated that the 

 bird described was in the collection of Sir Joseph Banks and that it 

 had come from Christmas Island. Latham remarks that the bill was 

 one inch long and that the under parts were white barred with dusky. 

 There are in the U. S. N. M. three of the five specimens collected by 

 Peale on Dog (or Honden) and Raraka Islands. On examining these 

 and the bird secured on Whitsunday Atoll it is found that in the 

 largest the bill is only 18 mm. long, and that in all the throat and 

 abdomen are plain and unmarked. The birds secured by Peale are 

 much stained and discolored, but in the fresh specimen taken by Dr. 

 Townsend the under parts have a distinct buffy tinge. It appears, 

 therefore, that Latham's Barred phalarope should be referred to 

 some other species than the present one. Dr. T. H. Streets, U. S. N., 



