ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS. 



117 



essential character of tcmminckii. and if Taczanowski's bird agrees Avitli 

 Pallas's description in tliese points, then certainly it belongs to tem- 

 minchii, and neither to minttta nor any of the other three species. 



A glance at the dimensions given in the " list of specimens collected" 

 shows at once that the birds irom Bering Island are correctly identified 

 as the Long toed Stint. 



Much confusion concerning these small waders has arisen from the 

 fact that most writers have ignored the structural differences by which 

 they are easily and surely kept apart, while they have relied more 

 upon characters of the plumage, so variable in these birds, and so 

 extremely difiicult to describe with the necessary indecision. A synop- 

 tical table of the species occurring on the Asiatic shores of the Pacific 

 Ocean may not be out of place, the more as all belong to the fauna of 

 the Commander Islands. 



«'. Middle toe with claw longer than exposed cuhneu ; tip of outstretched toes reaching 

 far beyond the tip of tail. 

 6'. Tail reaching to the end of folded wings, simply graduated; middle toe with 

 claw shorter than tarsus; shafts of all primaries white medially. 



A. acuminatus. 

 h-. Tail reaching beyond the tips of folded wings, the four outer pairs of tail-feathers 

 being equal in length, or the outermost even longer than the next ones ; juiddle 

 too with claw longer thau tarsus; shaft of first primary only, white. 



A. damacensis . 



a^. Middle toe with claw equal to exposed culmeu; tip of outstretched toes reaches 



the tip of tail. 



¥. Tail doubly emarginated, the outermost feathers being longer than the next ones; 



shafts of all primaries white; outer tail-feathers light brownish gray ; legs 



blackish A. ruficoUis. 



h"^. Tail simply graduated, or the outermost tail-feathers at least not longer than the 

 next ones ; shaft of first primary only, white ; two or three outer tail-feathers 

 on each side white ; legs yellowish gray A. temminclm. 



List of specimens collected. 



Locality. 



Bering Island . 



do 



do 



do 



do 



mm. mm. 



(153) I 



(143)! 



153 I 



152 



158 11 



m,m. 

 23 

 25 

 25 

 25 

 24 



No. 89021. — Iris dark brown. Bill blackish; olive-brown at base of lower jaw. Feet grayish yellow 

 with joints darkor olive. 



No. 89024.— Colons as in foregoing specimen. Tip of tail reaches scarcely beyond the tarsal joint of 

 the outstretched legs. 



