66 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



winters, as they are known to do in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. 

 The new game protection law of Missouri gives no protection to 

 this species, the open season extending over the whole period of 

 its presence in the state, namely from September 15 to April 30. 



[231. Macrorhamphus griseus (Gmel.). Dowitcher.] 



Scolopax grisea. Scolopax noveboracensis. Red-breasted Snipe. Brown 

 Back. Gray Snipe. Gray-back (winter). 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern North America, breeding far north; 

 south in winter to Brazil. Irregularly to Alaska, Oregon, 

 Idaho, Nebraska and formerly common in Wisconsin. 



As the two species of this genus were formerly regarded as 

 varieties and were said to be indistinguishable in the winter and 

 immature plumage, not enough attention was paid to them to 

 enable us to say in what proportion they visited the state while 

 Dowitchers were yet plentiful; but since it is known, that the 

 eastern form or species occurs in the Mississippi Valley along 

 with the western, the claim for a place in our list may yet be 

 estabhshed. 



232, Macrorhamphus scolopaceus (Say). Long-billed Do- 

 witcher. 



Lhnosa scolopacea. Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus. Red-bellied 

 Snipe. Red-bellied Dowitcher. Greater Long-beak. 



Geog. Dist. — Western North America; breeding in Alaska to 

 the Arctic coast ; migrating through western United States and 

 Mississippi Valley, rarely through Eastern States, to Mexico. 



Twenty years ago Dowitchers were fairly, though irregularly, 

 common transient visitants in all suitable localities of Missouri. 

 They migrated in flocks, and large numbers were sometimes found 

 in the St. Louis market, chiefly in April. In fall they were still 

 more irregular in their appearance and have been known to 

 occur from August to the end of October (October 28, 1873, 

 Hurter collection). At present they must be classed among the 

 rare birds and, if spring shooting is not abolished, they may be 

 brought to the point of extermination. 



233. MiCROPALAMA HiMANTOPUS (Bonap.). Stilt Sandpiper. 



Tringa himantopus. Tringa Douglasii. Tringa Auduboni. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern North America; west to the foot of the 

 Rocky Mountains; north to the Arctic coast. Breeds north of 



