MACRORHAMPHUS GRISEUS, RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 



477 



Key, 1872, 2')?i, lig. 164.— Snow, B. Kaiis. 1873, 10 (Kansas, migratory).— Pelz., 

 Oru. Bras. 313 (Para).— ScL. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1873, 455. 



Limosa (jrisea, Schl., ]Mus. Pays-Bas, Scolop. p. 26. 



Scolopax novehoracensh, G:m., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 658. — Lath., Ind. Oru. ii, 1790. 723 (based 

 on Iled-hreastcd Snipe, Pknn., Arct. Zool. ii, 464, No. 368; Lath., Svu. v, 154). — 

 WiLS., Am. Oru. vii, 1813, 45, lA. 58. tig. 1.— Sw. &. Rich., F. B. A. ii', 1831, 398.— 

 AuD., Oru. Biog. iv, 1838, 288, pi. 399; Svu. 1839, 249; B. Am. vi, 1843, 10, pi. 

 351.— GiR., B. L. 1. 1844, 263.— Putx., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1656, 218 (Massachusetts). 



Totanus novchoraccnms, Sabine, Fraukliu's Jouru. 687. 



Limosa scolopacea, Sav, Long's J]xp. Rocky Mountains, ii, 1823, 170. 



Macrorhamphus bcolopaceus, Lawk., Ann. Lye. N. Y. v, 1852, 4. pi. 1 ; Und. vii, 273 (Cuba); 

 ihid. viii, 1866, 293 ; ibid, ix, 1868, 142 (Costa Rica).— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 7)2 — 

 Elliot, B. N. A. pi. 40.— Coles, Ibis, 1866, 271 (California).— Dale & Banx., 

 Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 291 (Alaska, breeding).- Sxow, B. Kans. 1873, 10 (Kansas). 



Scolopax lonyirostris, Bell, Aun. Lye. v, 1852, 3. 



Scolopax paiikuUii, Nii^.sox, Oru. Siiec. ii, 106. 



^'Scolopax Jcucopha'a et ferrugiueicollis, Vieill." (Gray.) 



Tlah. — The whole of Nortli America. Greenland. Mexico. West Indies. Central 

 America. Much of South America. Brazil (Pelz., Orn. 313) ; Chili (Phil., Cat. 36). 

 Breeds iu high latitudes. Chiefly migratory in the United States. Winters in the 

 South, aud beyond, as above. Of frequent casual occurrence iu Europe. (See Haut., 

 Br. Birds, 1872, 144; fifteen occurrences in Great Britain recorded, with references. 

 GorLD, B. Eur. pi. 323). 



Licuttnunt Warren'n Expedition. — 4871, Omaha City. (Omitted from Hayden's Report.) 



Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' or later Expeditions. 



This Snipe is about as large as Wilson's, and the bill is exactly as in that species. It 

 is distinguished by the greater length of the legs, the whole naked portion being 3^ to 

 4 inches long, of wliich the bare part of the tibia is three-quarters of an inch or more; 

 by a web between the outer and middle toes ; by 12 instead of Ki tail feathers, and 

 many points of coloration. Tail and its coverts, Avith lining of wings and axillars, 

 beautifully barred with black and white or tawny ; shaft of first ]irimary white. In 

 breeding plumage, brownish-bhuik above, variegated with bay ; reddish-brown below, 

 variegated with dusky ; a tawny superciliary and dusky loral stripe. At other seasons, 

 dark gray above, the feathers with dusky centres aud pale gray or whitisli edges; 

 lower back iiure wliite ; .superciliary line and spot on under eye-lid white ; below, wtite, 

 the jugulum, fore-brea.st, and sides heavily shaded with gray, leaving chin whitish ; the 

 flanks aud crissum with waw, dusky spots or bars. Length, 10.25 to 12.50 ; extent, 

 17..'.0 to 20.25; wing, 5.40 to 6.10; bill, 2.20 to 3.25; whole naked leg, 3.40 to 4.15. 

 Weight, 2 oz. 7 dr. to 4 oz. 4 dr., according to condition. 



The sui)posed species {M. ncolopaeeuii), based on larger size and larger bill, is not even 

 entitled to rank as a variety. Almost any flock contains a per cent, of such individuals. 

 The difference in these respects is merely the normal individual variation. The follow- 

 ing fresh measui'ements of nine individuals, shot out of the same flock, exhibit the ex- 

 tremes connected by imperceptible gradaticms, aud will convince tho^e most skeptical 

 of the identity of the two supposed species : 



Total length 



Extent of wings . 



Wing 



Whole naked leg. 

 Bill .. 



10.25 



17.50 



5.40 



3.40 



2.20 



10.50 



18.00 



5.50 



3.40 



2.40 



11.00 



18.50 



5.65 



3.40 



2.50 



11.25 



19.25 



5.80 



3.35 



2.85 



11.50 



19.00 



5.75 



4.00 



2.90 



11.75 



19.50 



5.90 



4.10 



2.90 



11. SO 



19.75 



6.00 



4.00 



2.95 



12.25 



20.25 



6.10 



4.10 



3.05 



12..50 



19.50 



.5.85 



4.15 



3.25 



The.se nine specimens are graded according to length of bill, with which it will be 

 .seen ()ther dinu-nsions grade approximately, though not conesiwnding in every in- 

 stance. The length of bill varies over an inch, or about .34 per cent, of the mean 

 length, which is 2.77 inches; tliat is to say, its variation is about one-third of the 

 whole length. Tiie variation is next greatest iu the length of leg. There is nothing 

 l)eculiar in this variation. The bill of Ereunetcx pufillit-s, ol' Xiimeiiins lomiiroiitris, and 

 doubtless of other waders, is (piito as variable. 



This species has a very extensive (listributioii in tl:c Western ITemi.s- 

 pliere, and is one of those most tVe<iuentlv occuiTin.j: as a stra;4;}i'k'i" ii» 

 the Old World. Its re{?nlar niijirations are of innnen.se extent, and are 

 l)erfornied witli great exiu-dition. Passinu' the Mi(hlK' districts in April, 

 the birds wend their way to the far North, where lliey breed, and are 

 again anion-^ ns before the end of Anj^nist. The Hne nf nii<,'ration .seems 

 innuaterial; many pass along either coast, while as great numbers tiy 



