BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 197 



LIMNODROMUS GRISEUS GRISEUS (Gmelin). 



DOWITCHER. 



Adults in hreeding plumage (sexes alike). — General color of upper 

 parts dull light pinkish cinnamon to vinaceous-buff, the pileum, 

 hindneek and interscapulars streaked ■with black (the black streaks 

 very broad on back), the scapulars irregularly spotted with black,, 

 or black margined terminally and barred with the lighter color; 

 anterior lesser wing-coverts dusky grayish brown, narrowly mar- 

 gined with paler; middle coverts black centrally, irregularly mar- 

 gined with pale dull pinkish cinnamon or vinaceous-buff; greater 

 coverts grayish brown (more or less deep), edged and tipped with 

 white, the secondaries similar but with white tip and edging broader 

 and with a white streak on outer web near shaft; tertials black, ir- 

 regularly barred and edged with light cinnamomeous; primary coverts 

 and primaries dusk}^, the proximal piimaries light brownish gray, 

 margined with white and with an irregular dusky submarginal line; 

 lower back, rump, and upper tail-cov€rts white, the first often im- 

 maculate, the rump spotted with blackish (the spots usually more 

 or less cordate), the upper tail-coverts barred with the same; tail 

 regularly barred with white and dusky or blackish, the bars and 

 interspaces of approximately equal width, the middle rectrices some- 

 times tinged with cinnamomeous; sides of head (including broad 

 superciliary stripe) and neck, and under parts dull light pinkish 

 cinnamon, usualh" more or less intermixed with white on under 

 parts, especially on abdominal region, more or less spotted or speckled 

 with dusky, the sides and flanks barred or transversely spotted with 

 the same, the subloral and suborbital regions streaked or flecked 

 with the same; lores thickly flecked with dusky, forming a broad 

 (sometimes nearly "solid") stripe from bill to eye, and upper margin 

 of auricular region streaked with dusky ; axillars and under wing- 

 coverts white, the former with V-shaped bars, the latter with in- 

 versely V- or U-shaped markings of dusky; inner webs of primaries 

 plain brownish gray, indistinctly paler along edges; bill blackish, 

 passing into olivaceous basally (in life); iris dark brown; legs and 

 feet light yellowish olive or greenish olive (in life). 



Adults in winter. — Head, neck, back, scapulars, and wing-coverts 

 nearly plain gray, the chest and sides also gray, more or less inter- 

 mixed with white, the remaining under parts mostly immaculate 

 white; an indistinct whitish superciliary stripe; wing-coverts mar- 

 gined with whitish; otherwise as in summer adults. 



Young. — Back, scapulars, and tertials variegated with black and 

 light clay color, the latter chiefly on edges of the feathers: under parts 

 dull whitish, more or less suffused with dull buff or pale cla}' color. 



