188 



PR.ECOCIAL GEALLATORES — LLMICOL^. 



■with pale buff ; lining of the wing and sides of the body beneath, sharply barred with slate-color 

 on a pure white ground. 



1. G. coelestis. Tail-feathers usually 14. Wing, 5.0U-5.30 ; culmen, 2.80-3.00 ; tarsus 



1.25-1.45 ; middle toe, 1.15-1.40. Hub. Palsearctic Region, occasional in Greenland, 

 accidental in the Bermudas. 



2. G. Wilsoni. Tail-feathers usually 16. Wing, 4.90-5.30 ; culmen, 2.50-2.70 ; tarsus, 



1.20-1.30 ; njiddle toe, 1.10-1.35. llub. North America, South to Middle America in 

 winter. 



Gallinago Wilsoni. 



THE AMERICAN, OR WILSON'S, SNIPE. 



Scolopax Gallinacjo, WiLSOX, Am. Oni. VI. 181:2, 18, \A. 47, 1'. 1 (nee LiNX.). 



Scolopax JFilsoni, Temm. PI. Col. V. 1824, livr. Ixviii. (in text). — Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 



401. — NuTT. Man. II. 18-34, 185. — Aun. Orn. Biog. 111. 18-35, 322 ; V. 1839, 583, pi. 243; 



Synop. 1839, 248, B. Am. V. 1842, 339, pi. 350. 

 Gallinacjo Wilsoni, Boxap. Comi). List, 1838, 52. — Cassin, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 710.— 



Baikd, Cat. N. Am. B. 1853, no. 523. — CouES, Key, 1872, 262 ; Check List, 1873, no. 414 ; 



2d ed. 1882, no. 608 ; Birds N. W. 1874, 475. 

 Gallinago gallinaria, var. Wilsoni, Ridgw. Ann. Lye. N. Y. X. 1S74, 383. 

 Gallinago medui Wilsoni, Ridgw. Nom. IST. Am. B. 1881, no. 526a. 

 Scolopax dclicatula, OiiD, ed. Wils. IX. 1825, 218. 

 Scolopax Drummoiidi, Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 400. — X'utt. Man. II. 1834, 190. —AuD. 



Orn. Biog. V. 1839, 319 ; Synop. 1839, 249 ; B. Am. VI. 1843, 9. 

 Scolopax Douglasii, Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 400. — Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 191. 

 ? Scolopax Icucurus, Sw. & Rich. t. c. 501. — Xutt. t. c. 617. 



Hab. Tlie wliole of North ami Middle America, breeding from Northern United States north- 

 ward, migrating south in winter as far as New Granada ; throughout tlie AVest Indies ; Bermuda ; 

 accidental in England. 



Sp. Char. Bill long, compressed, flattened and sliglitly expanded toward the tip, punctulated 

 in its terminal half ; wings rather long ; legs moderate ; tail short. Entire upper parts brownish 



black ; every feather spotted and widely edged with light rufous, yellowish brown, or ashy white ; 

 back and rump transversely barred and spotted with the same ; a line from the base of the bill 

 over the top of the head. Throat and neck before, dull reddish ashy ; wing-featlier marked with 

 dull brownish lAack ; other under parts white, with transverse bars of brownish black on the sides, 

 axillary feathers, under wing-coverts, and under tail-coverts; quills brownish black; outer edge 

 of first primary white ; tail glossy brownish black, widely tipped with bright rufous, paler at the 

 tip, and with a sub-terminal narrow band of black ; outer feathers of tail paler, frequently nearly 



