290 



PR^COCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL.E. 



cially the tarsi, are much shorter ; the inner toe only slightly webbed. The claws are short, stout, 

 and unusually curved. The legs have a much roughened appearance. 



The single North American species of this genus is one of wide distribution, occurring on the 

 eastern coasts of Asia, and the islands throughout the Pacific Ocean, as well as along the western 

 shores of Xurth America. 



Heteroscelus incanus. 



THE WANDERING TATTLER. 



Scolopax incana, Gmel. S. X. I. 1788, 658. 



Totanus incanus, Vieill. Diet. Deteiv. VI. 1816, 400. 



Heteroscelus incanus, Coues, Key, 1872, 261 ; Check List, 1873, no. 440 ; ed. 2, 1882, uo. 642 ; in 



Elliott's Alaska, ed. 1875, 187. — Ridgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, uo. 553. 

 Trincja glareola, P.vll. Zoog. Rosso-As. II. 1811, 194, pi. 60. 

 Totanus brevipcs, Vieill. Diet. Deterv. VI. 1816, 400. 

 Heteroscelus 6rew>es, C.a.ss. in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 734 ; ed. 1860, pi. 88. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. 



B. 1859, no. 542. 

 Totanus fuliginosus, Gould, Voy. Beag. Birds, 1841, 130. 

 Scolopax undulata, Forst. Descr. An. ed. Liclit. 1844, 173. 

 Totanus pulveridcntus, Ml'll. Verb. 1844, 153. 

 Totanus oceanicutt, Less. Conipl. Buff. 1847, 244. 

 Totanus pohjncsioe, Peale, Voy. Vine. & Peae. Birds, 1848, 237. 

 Totanus griseo})ygiics, Gould, B. Austr. VI. pi. 38. 

 "Gambetta brevijyes, oceanica, p^dvcrulenta, oceanica,, griscopygia, Bonap." 



Hab. The islands and shores of the Pacific Ocean. Of frequent occurrence, during migra- 

 tions, along the coast of Alaska, and also southward to the Galapagos. 





Sp. Char. Rather larger than Totanus flavipes. Summer adult: Entire upper parts uniform 

 dark plumbeous ; lower parts white, shaded with plumbeous laterally, the foreneck with longi- 

 tudinal streaks, and other portions with transverse bars, of dusky plumbeous. Lining of wing 

 white, spotted and barred with dark plumbeous ; primaries blackish dusky, the shafts brown on 

 the outer and white on the inner surface, that of the first c^uill, however, white on both sides. 

 Winter plumage : Above, plain plumbeous ; lower parts white washed with plumbeous along sides 

 and across jugulum. Young: Somewhat like the winter plumage, but secondaries, scapulars, and 

 upper tail-coverts indistinctly spotted with white along edges, and the plumbeous of sides, etc., 

 faintly mottled with white. 



Wing, 6.50-7.30 ; culmen, 1.50-1.60 ; tarsus, 1.25-1.35 ; middle toe, 1.00-1.05. 



The history of the present species is imperfectly known. We have no account 

 of the manner or the locality of its breeding. In North America it seems to be con- 

 fined to the Pacific shore and islands, and to inhabit by preference the rocky portions 



