472 PHILOHELA MINOR, WOODCOCK. 



maritime bird, yet we have accounts of its occurrence in the interior of 

 the United States. It is mentioned by Mr. AVheaton among the birds 

 of Ohio, and by Mr. Eidgway among tliose of Illinois. 



The nidilication of this species is the same as that of the preceding, 

 and the eggs are so similar that they cannot be distinguished with cer- 

 tainty in any given instance. Several specimens are in the collection 

 from Franklin Bay, on the Arctic coast, east of Anderson River. They 

 were taken early in July, by Mr. MacFarlane, who states that they are 

 deposited in a depression of the ground lined with withered leaves. 

 Their average capacity is greater than those of L. hyperhor&iis. Tiie 

 longest specimen measures 1.30 by 0.90; the shortest, 1.15 by 0.90; 

 another, 1.25 by 0.85. 



Family SCOLOPAOID^: Snipe, &c. 



The great unmber of birds belonging to this family which claim the attention of 

 the sportsman, the ejiicure, and the amateur ornithologist, renders it especially an 

 interesting one. Here are classed nearly all the " long-billed fraternity," as these birds 

 are called, somewhat facetiously, but nevertheless with technical accuracy — the Wood- 

 cock and the true Snipe, the Sandpipers in all their variety, the Godwits, Curlews and 

 Willets, the Yellowlegs, and all the numerous birds that pass under the loose name of 

 "Bay Snipe." They may be distinguished from any kind of Plover by the slenderuess 

 aud sensitiveness of the bill, as well as, usually, by its length, which for the most part 

 exceeds the head, and absence of any constriction between the nasal and terminal parts. 

 It is always furnished with long, deep grooves on both mandibles, and may be either 

 straight, curved down, or a little recurved. The gape of the mouth is usually very 

 much contracted. The ScolopacidcH are probably without exception migratory, and 

 some of them pass to the highest latitudes where birds can live, to breed, nesting 

 always on the ground, and laying three or four eggs, placed with the small ends to- 

 gether in a slight nest or on the bare ground. The North American species are numer- 

 ous, and nearly all occur in the Missouri region. For convenience of reference we 

 here bring thein together in the several natural groups in which they fall : 



A. Woodcock, Wilson's Snipe, and Eedbreasted Snipe. 



B. Godwits, of four species, large, with the bill a little turned up. 



C. Sandpipers, numerous species, all but one with short, straight bill ; going in 



large flocks on the beaches and elsewhere. 



D. Tattlers, various species of different sizes, with rather long bill, harder than 



in the foregoing, straight or very slightly turned up. Here belong some spe- 

 cies improperly called "Plover," as tile "Upland Plover," "Yellowshank 

 Plover," &c., together with Willets, or " Stone Snipe," " Teeter-tails," &c. 



E. Curlew, distinguished from all the others by the downward curve of the long 



aud slender bill. 



PHILOHELA MINOE, (Gm.) Gray. 

 Americaa Woodcock. 



Scolopax minor, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 661.— Lath., Ind. Oru. ii, 1790, 714 (based on '^Lit- 

 tle Woodcock" of Lath., Syn. v, 131, and Penx., Arct. Zool. ii, 4(5:5, No. 365, 

 pi. 19).— WiLS., Am. Orn. vi, 1812, 40, pi. 48, f. 2.— Bp., Syn. 1828, 331.— Aud., 

 Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 474, pi. 268 ; also of various sporting authorities. 



linsiicola minor, Vieill., Anal. 1816 ; Gal. Ois, ii, 1834, 112, pi. 142.— Bp., List, 1838, 52. 



EmilcoJa (MicropUra) mi)wr, NuTT., Man. ii, 1834, 194. 



Philohcla wujior, Gp.ay, Gen. of B. 1849.— WooDii., Sitgr. Kep. 1853, 101 (Indian Terri- 

 tory, rare).— Bd., B. N. A. 18.58, 709.— Hayd., Rep. 1862, 174 (Loup Fork).— Mc- 

 Ii.WK., Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1866, 92 (Hamilton, C. W. ; summer, common). — Allkx, 

 Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1868, 501 (Western Iowa).— Scott, Pr. Bost. Soc. xv, 1872, 227 

 (West Virginia, breeding). — Sxow% B. Kans. 1873, 10 (Kansas, rare).— Coqes, 

 Key, 1872, 251, fig. 162; and of most late authors. 



Microptcra amerkana, Aud., Syn. 1839, 250 ; B. Am. vi, 1843, 15, pi. 352.— GiR., B. L. I. 

 1844, 266. 

 ^«&.— Eastern United States aud British Provinces. North to Nova Scotia (J «(Zit- 



hon) and Canada {Mcllwraiih). Northwest to Forl^ Rice, Dakota (Coues). West to 



Kansas (Snow) and Nebraska {Uayden). No extraUmital record. 

 Lieutenant Warren's Exjmlition.— 9140, Loup Fork of the Platte. 

 Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' Expedition. 



