BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 155 



Genus PHILOHELA Gray. 



Rubicola "VieiH"[ot] Jameson, Wilson's Amer. Orn., iii, 1831, 98. (Type, by 



monotypy, Scolopax minor Gmelin.) 

 MicTopiei-a (not of Gravenhorst, 1802) Nuttall, Man. Birds U. S. and Can., Water 



Birds, 1834, 192. (Type, by original designation, Rvsticola minor = Scolopax 



minor Gmelin.) 

 Rusticola (not of Vieillot, 1816) Bonaparte, Geog. and Comp. List, 1838, 52. 



(Type, Scolopax minor Gmelin.) 

 Philohela Gray, List Gen. Birds, 1841, 90. (Type, by original designation, 



Scolopax minor Gmelin.) 



Medium-sized Scolopacinse (wing 118-143 mm.), with tibia com- 

 pletely feathered, tarsus shorter than middle toe with claw, and three 

 outer primaries abbreviated and conspicuously narrowed. 



Bill straight, tapering in lateral but not in vertical profde, its depth 

 at base equal to about one-seventh the length of exposed culmen, 

 the latter longer than tarsus and middle toe with claw; nasal groove 

 broad, except anteriorly, extending nearly to tip of maxilla, which 

 is decurved, especially on under (tomial) side; nostrils subbasal, 

 broadly elliptical, longitudinal. Wing ample, much rounded, the 

 longest primaries exceedingly distal secondaries by less than one- 

 third the length of wing; fourth and fifth primaries (from outside) 

 longest, the three outermost ones decidedly shorter (of these the 

 third longest, the first shortest), conspicuously reduced in width, 

 with terminal portion strongly incurved; tertials falling considerably 

 short of tips of longest primaries, broad, rounded at tips. Tail less 

 than half as long as wing, rather strongly rounded; rectrices 14. 

 Tarsus about as long as middle toe without claw, scutellate anteriorly, 

 covered laterally and posteriorly with small scales; lateral toes 

 much shorter than middle toe, the outer slightly longer than the 

 inner; claw of hallux very short, conical, not extending beyond the 

 toe; no web between toes at base. 



Coloration. — Above brown and pale gray, barred with buff and 

 blotched with black; posterior half of pileum black crossed by three 

 narrow bands of buff; under parts immaculate buff and cinnamon- 

 brownish. 



Range, — Eastern North America. (Monotypic.) 



PHILOHELA MINOR (Gmelin). 



AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 



Adults (sexes alike). — Head, neck, and under parts pale cinnamon 

 or dull cinnamon-buff, overlaid or suft'used with grayish, the occiput 

 black crossed by four narrow^ bands or bars of pale cinnamon; a 

 brownish black or dusky loral streak (from bill to eye) and an 

 obUque streak of the same across cheeks ; general color of upper parts 

 mottled cinnamon, intermixed or suffused with grayish, the back and 

 scapulars with large, irregidar black spots, the outer webs of exterior 



