200 PR^COCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL^. 



as somewhat similar to those of Mlcropalama himantojms, and therefore iuferentially 

 different from tliose of M. (jrlseus. 



Mr. Dall mentions the M. scolopaceus as common about the mouth of the lUver 

 Yukon, where the M. grisexis is spoken of as being very rare up tliat river. At 

 Nuhato tliis same form is mentioned by ^ir. Ikinnister as being quite common, 

 though not extremely abundant ; he found the nest of this Snipe on the 3d of June, 

 and on the (>th si'cured tlie i)arent with the eggs. The nest Avas a simple hollow 

 in the ground in a grassy hummock, in the centre of a marshy spot, Avith scarcely 

 any lining whatever ; there Avas nothing in the shape of a nest substantial enough to 

 be removed. The c<?gs Avere four in number, and Mr. Bannister describes them as of 

 a broAvnish color, mottled with a still deeper tint. The female Avhen startled from 

 the nest shuffled oft' with great rapidity among the grassy hummocks, presenting a 

 very difficult mark to hit. Only one parent l)ird Avas seen. 



Dr. Cooper states that on the extensive level plains south of Los Angeles he found 

 this species quite abundant during the middle of October, 1805. He also observed that 

 bunches of them, unmixed Avith any other species, Avere sold in the toAvn under the 

 name of " Jack Snipe ; " Avhile the species commonly knoAvn by this name, Actodromas 

 maculata, has not, to his knowledge, been met Avith south of San Francisco. The 

 present species Avas found frequenting the brackish lagoons and river-banks exclu- 

 sively, never appearing about the salt-marshes, Avhich are the favorite places of resort 

 of the more northern and eastern form, the M. griseus.  The birds kept in small 

 flocks, and alighted so close together, that several could be killed at a single shot. 

 They usually fed in Avater as deep as their long legs and bill Avould alloAV them to 

 Avade in, probing the bottom. 



Mr. George X. Lawrence, in his paper first describing this form, read Jan. 7, 1849, 

 mentions that this bird is found abundantly on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico in 

 winter, that its principal migration is up the Mississippi Valley and farther Avest, 

 but that it is rare on the Atlantic coast. It is given by the same Avriter (" Birds of 

 Southern JVEexico ") as having been taken at San Mateo, Tehuantepec, in August and 

 February. Mr. LaAvrence, in his Xotes on Cuban Birds (May 21, 1860) also refers to 

 a specimen sent to him by Dr. Gundlach from Cuba. He regards its rarity on our 

 coast, Avhere the griseus is so A^ery common, as furnishing further evidence of its 

 distinctness as a species. It makes its appearance quite early in the spring, and is 

 found in the NeAv York market in April, fully three Aveeks before any of the more 

 common varieties are to be seen. And in this connection I may state that I have 

 receiA^ed a fine specimen of a female shot on Ca])e Cod, Mass., as late as November 

 3, or long after all of the other A^ariety had gone. 



Dr. Kennerly, in his jSTotes on the Birds observed along the Mexican Boundary, 

 speaks of this species as very rare, and as having been only observed occasionally in 

 the valley of the Conalitos River, and once in the Valley of the Peletado. A pair 

 were seen together, and both secured ; but no others Avere obtained. 



Eggs in the Smithsonian Collection, marked as having been obtained by Mr. Ban- 

 nister on the Island of St. Michael's, May 23, 1866, are larger than any eggs of the 

 griseus we have ever seen, measuring 1.80 inches in length, by 1.15 inches in breadth. 

 They have a ground of a Avell-pronounced rufous drab, blotched Avith much darker 

 markings of a deep shade of sepia broAvn. 



