216 PR^COCIAL GRALLATORES — LBIICOLiE. 



markable rapidity. When it stops it crouches for a inomeut ; and this movement 

 occasions its local name of " Cronching-chicken." The number visiting Trinidad is 

 not large. 



The Knot is regarded as an excellent bird for the table, and its good qualities 

 have long been known ; the name — as is said by Pennant — having been derived 

 from King Canute, or Knut, by whom its excellence was particularly appreciated. 



Genus ARQUATELLA, 13aikd. 

 Arquatella, Baird, B. X. Am. 1858, 717 (type Tringa maritima, BniJNN.). 



Char. Form very compact or robust, the legs especially. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe 

 with claw, the latter two thirds to three fourths as long as the bill, which is slender, much com- 

 pressed, straight, or very slightly decurved at the end. Size medium (wing less than (5 inches). 



By the characters given above, this species may be very readily distinguished from Trimja, the 

 nearest ally. The species of Arquatella are subject to seasonal changes of plumage which have 

 been very perplexing to ornithologists, the summer and winter dress of the same bhd being totally 

 unlike, while that of the young is different still. 



Three species of this genus belong to North America. Another species, the Tringa crassirostris, 

 Temm. & ScHLEG., of Japan and other parts of Eastern Asia, may belong to this genus, but we 

 have seen no specimens. 



The three species belonging to our fauna may be distinguished as follows : — 



Com. Char. Summer dress : Back and scapulars variegated black, rusty-ochraceous, or buff, 

 and buffy white, the first in the form of sharply defined spots occupying the central portion of 

 each feather, the rusty or buft' forming a wide external border, the whitish the tips of the feathers, 

 the latter color sometimes scarcely present or altogether wanting. Rump and upper tail-coverts 

 nearly uniform dusky ; wings dusky, the coverts bordered with whitish, the greater coverts tipped 

 with the same, and the inner secondaries chiefly white. Lower parts chiefly white, the breast 

 variegated with dusky, this sometimes forming more or less of an irregular patch. Winter 

 'plumage : Above nearly uniforni plumbeous, the feathers of the l)ack and scapulars darker cen- 

 trally, and showing faint ])uiplish reflections in certain lights. Jugulum chiefly light plumbeous 

 or grayish, the feathers with wliilisli borders. 



1. A. maritima. Breeding dress: Pileum streaked with yellowish gray, or grayish white; 

 scapulars and interscapulars irregularly spotted and indented with dull Ijuft", or whitish, and bor- 

 dered terminally Avith white ; foreneck and jugulum distinctly streaked with dusky, the breast 

 dull grayish, everywhere spotted with darker. TJ^inter dress : Back and scapulars sooty black 

 strongly glossed with purplish, the feathers bordered terminally with dark plumbeous gray; jugu- 

 lum uniform mouse-gray, or brownish plumbeous. Young, first plumage: Scapulars, interscajDulars, 

 and wing-coverts bordered with pale grayish buff, with little or none of rusty. Cliich : Above 

 hair-brown, lighter and grayer on tlie nape, the brown irregularly marbled with black, the wings, 

 back, and rump thickly bespangled with white downy flecks ; head grayish white, tinged with 

 fulvous, variously marked \\\{\v l>]a(k, the lores having two distinct longitudinal, nearly parallel 

 streaks ; lower parts grayish white, without fulvous tinge. Average measurements of 13 adidts : 

 "Wing, 5.0G ; culmen, 1.20 ; tarsus, .9!) ; middle toe, .90. Hah. Northeastern North America, 

 Europe, etc. 



2. A. Couesi. Breeding dress : Pileum streaked with deep rusty ; scapulars and interscapulars 

 broadly bordered with bright ferruginous ; foreneck and jugulum irregularly clouded with dull 

 pale buft' or soiled white and sooty plumbeous, the breast more coarsely clouded, with more or less 

 of a black patch on each side. JJ'inter dress : Similar to A. maritima, but with the plumbeous 

 borders to dorsal feathers broader and lighter, or more bluish, in tint ; jugulum streaked or other- 

 wise varied with white. Young, first plumage : Scapulars and interscapulars consj^icuously bordered 

 with Inight rusty, ochraceous, and whitish ; wing-coverts broadly bordered with bufl'y white or 

 pale bulf; breast and sides buffy white, distinctly streaked with dusky. Chick: Above bright 



