SCOLOPACID.E — THE SNIPE FAMILY — ACTODROMAS. 235 



Its note is a Ioav whistle, whieli is not often repeated, except when the bird appre- 

 hends danger. This is known as the " Meadow Snipe " on Long Island, and is also 

 called the '' Short-neck." It is quite common at Egg Harbor, X. J., in the antumn, 

 and sometimes remains there until jSTovember; toward the latter part of the season 

 it is in excellent condition. On the sea-coast of Xew Jersey it is known as the 

 " Fat-bird." It is found in its migrations in the interior of Pennsylvania, and is there 

 also known as the " Jack Snipe." Stragglers also occur on Long Island in the month 

 of July ; but there is no reason to suppose that any breed there. In the autumn its 

 flesh becomes very juicy and finely flavored, and when procured late in the season it 

 is said to be superior to that of any of our shore-birds, and fully equal to any upland 

 game. 



This species has been taken several times in Great Britain, where they occur as 

 stragglers only; they were shot in the months of May, September, and October. 

 According to Prince Charles Bonaparte, the Pectoral Sandpiper is found in Brazil 

 and at Montevideo. 



Nuttall states that in his day many birds of this species were killed on the shores 

 of Cohasset and other parts of Massachusetts Bay, where they arrived in flocks about 

 the end of August, and remained into September. While there they fed on small 

 coleoptera, larvee, and the common green Ulva latissima, as Avell as on several species 

 of sea-weed. When startled, they uttered a low plaintive whistle. Like the Snipe, 

 it seems fond of damp meadows and marshes. 



Reinhardt includes this bird among those of Greenland on the authority of a 

 specimen taken in 1851, and two in 1859, at Nenortalik. Mr. B. Ross reports this 

 species common on the Mackenzie River. 



It is not known to breed so far to the south as Labrador, but makes its first ap- 

 pearance there aboiit the middle of August, in the course of its migrations southward. 

 Wherever found, the " Grass Snipe," as it is called in Massachusetts, is seldom seen 

 on open sandy beaches, preferring low, wet inland meadows. When found near the 

 shore it frequents thfe muddy flats left bare by the receding tide and the higher salt- 

 marshes. It has more of the habits of the Common Snipe than of the Tringce. As 

 it starts up suddenly from the ground in alarm, its zigzag flight is very Snipe-like, 

 and it is then quite as difficult to shoot as is that bird. 



Nothing whatever is known about its breeding, either as to locality or manner. 

 It has been thought that this may take place somewhere along the forty-ninth paral- 

 lel ; this is but a conjecture, not amounting to a probability. 



Actodiomas acuminata. 



THE SHARP TAILED SANDPIPER. 



Totamis acuminatus, Horsf. Linn. Trans. XIII. 1821, 192. 



Tri7uja acuminata, Swinh. P. Z. S. 1863, 315 ; Ibis, 1863, 412. — Schleg. Mus. P. -P. Tringffi, 38. 



Limnocindus acuminatus, Gray, Hand-1. III. 1871, 49. 



Actodromas acuminata, Ridgw. Proc. F. S. Nat. ]\[us. 1881, 199, 222; Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 



533. — CouES, Check List, 2d ed. 18S2, no. 619. 

 Tringa australis, Jard. Illustr. Orn. II. pi. 91. 

 Schceniclus australis, Gould, Birds Auatr. VI. pi. 30. 

 Trinrja rufescens, Vox Middexd. Sibir. Eeise, 221 (nee Vieill.). 



Hab. Eastern Asia, migrating south to Australia, and northeastward to coast of Alaska (St. 

 ^Michael's ; E. W. Nelson). 



Sp. Char. Adult: Above, brownish gray, the feathers black centrally ; pilenm cinnamon, in 

 marked contrast, and broadly streaked with black ; rump and middle upper tail-coverts brownish 



