180 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



bordering the River Rouge, Wayne county, October 7, 1890, when a small 

 number were seen (Swales, MS. List, 1904). One was taken by the writer 

 at Chandler's Marsh, Ingham county, August 26, 1897 and a second specimen 

 at East Lansing, August 14, 1908. 



These two skins were sent to the U. S. National Museum and the identifi- 

 cation confirmed by Dr. C. W. Richmond. Mr. P. A. Taverner has two 

 specimens in his collection taken in Wayne county, one on August 26, 

 1905, and the other, July 14, 1906. The former was doubtfully referred 

 by Ridgway to the western form, M. scolopaceus, but the latter was 

 identified as true griseus. More recently both specimens have been ex- 

 amined by other experts, and compared with better specimens, and it 

 seems probable that both belong to the eastern subspecies, griseus. 



This subspecies so closely resembles the western form (Western Red- 

 breasted Snipe), that it is impossible to separate the two except with speci- 

 mens in hand. Michigan seems to be on the dividing line, since both sub- 

 species have been taken near Chicago, although the present form is more 

 common (Woodruff, Auk, XIII, 180). In Wisconsin, according to Kumlien 

 and Hollister, the eastern form was formerly a common migrant, but is now 

 exceedingly rare. There are in the Milwaukee Public Museum two speci- 

 mens from Lake Koshkonong, taken in August 1886 (Birds of Wisconsin, 

 1903, 43).* 



The eggs are four, laid in a hollow in moss or grass, usually without any 

 lining. They are greenish olive to gray, spotted rather coarsely with umber 

 brown, and average 1.65 by 1.13 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Top of head, scapulars, interscapulars and upper surface of wings, brownish black 

 or black, more or less streaked or margined with buffy-brown; back of neck ashy brown, 

 dimly streaked; middle of back pure white, unspotted; rump white, with rounded black 

 spots; upper tail-coverts and tail evenly and narrowly barred with l)lack and white, about 

 ten black bars on each tail-feather; chin and belly buffy or soiled whitish; rest of under 

 parts washed or tinted with brownish buff, obscurely streaked witli dusky on the sides 

 and under tail-coverts; axillars barred black and white, the bars chevron-shaped, primaries 

 black, the outer one with a white shaft. Length 10 to 11; wing 5.25 to 5.90; culmen 2 to 

 2.55 inches. 



94. Stilt Sandpiper. Micropalama himantopus (Bonap.). (233) 



Synonyms: Long-legged Sandpiper, Frost-snipe. Tringa himantopus, Bonap., 1826, 

 Nutt., 1834. — Micropalama himantopus, Cass., 1858, Baird, Coucs, Ridgw., A. O. U. 

 Check-list, 1895. 



The long, slightly recurved bill, somewhat widened toward the tip, 

 and the unusually long shanks (tarsi) are peculiar to this species and will 

 identify it in any plumage. 



Distribution. — Eastern North America, breeding north of United States, 

 and migrating in winter to Bermuda, West Indies and Central and South 

 America. 



Occurs only as a migrant in Michigan, and that not commonly. Probably 

 a few pass through the state every season, but they are rarely detected. 

 According to Dr. Gibbs "D. D. Hughes in his MS. Ornithology of Mich., 

 says that Sid Van Horn shot and mounted a fine young specimen taken at a 

 pond in Calhoun county." The species is mentioned in Miles' list, 1860, but is 

 omitted by Sager, Cabot, Boies and Trombley. Covert states that it is a 



*For further notes on the Western Red-breasted Snipe see Appendix. 



