BIRDS — SCOLOPACIDAE — TRYNGITES RUFESCENS. 739 



TliYNGITES, C a ban is 



Tringilfs, Cab. Journ. fiir. Orn. 1856, 418. Typo Tringa rufeacins, Vieill. 

 Cu. — Upper mandible grooved to about the torniinal fourth ; tlio lower not quite so far. Culmen and gonys about straight. 

 >louth deeply cleft more than half way to the eye ; the culnicn about two-thirds the commisBurc. Culmoii much shorter than 

 tlio head, and about equal to middle toe without clnw. Tarsus about |i as long as middle too and claw. I3aro part of tibia 

 decidedly shorter than middle toe without claw. Toes cicfl to tho base, with only a very rudimentary web. Upper jaw 

 feathered to the nostrils ; the side of the lower and beneath feathered much further, or to tho end of tho nostrils ; tho inter- 

 apace of tho rami entirely filled. Tail somewhat graduated, not half tho wing. 



It is possible that the genus Prosohonin of Bonaparte, 1853, maybe identical with Tryngites of 

 Cabanis, as based on Tringa leucoptera of Gmelin, I, 678 ; but until this is proved to be the case, 

 it may be best to take the last mentioned name as a certainty. It is a little remarkable that 

 Bonaparte makes no mention whatever of Tringa ru/escens in his Catalogue in Comptes Rendus, 

 Sept. 1856. 



TRYNGITES RUFESCENS, ( V i e i 11 . ) C a b . 



UntUbreasted Sandpiper. 



rrinsani/fictnj, ViEiLLOT.Nouv. Diet. XXXIX, 1819, 470. (Louisiana.) — Is. Galorie Ois. II, 1825,105; pi. 238. — 

 NuTT. Man. II, 1834, 113.— Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 451 ; pi. 265.— Ib. Syn. 235.— Ib. Birds 

 Amer. V, 1842,264; pi. 331.— Bon. List, 1838.— Jard. Br. Birds III, 235, (Am. sp.)— Yakrell, 

 Trans. Linn. Soc. XVI, 109 ; pi. ii, European sp. 



J.Jctidurus naevUts, Heer.mann, Pr. Acad. N. S. Phil. VII, 1854, 179. (Texas.) 



Figures.- Trans. Linn. Soc. London, XVI, pi. 2.— Goui.D, B. of Eur. IV, pi. 32C.— AcD. B. of Am. pi. 2G5 ; oct. ed. V, pi . 

 331.— ViEiLL. Gal. II, pi. 23a 



Sp. Ch. — Bill about the length of the head, straight, compressed, narrow at tho point ; nasal groove long ; wings very long ; 

 first quill longest ; tertiaries rather shorter ; tail moderate or longer than usual in this group ; legs rather long ; lower third of 

 the tibia naked ; toes free at base, flattened underneath, and slightly margined ; hind toe small. Upper parts pale and dull 

 ashy brown with a yellowish tinge ; every feather with a large central, lanceolate, crescent-shaped, or oblong spot of black, 

 frequently with a glossy green tinge, especially on the back and shorter tertiaries. Under parts light yellowish red, or pale 

 fawn color ; many feathers tipped with white, and paler on the flanks and abdomen, on tho breast with partially concealed small 

 spots of black ; axillary feathers white. Quills with their outer webs light brown, inner webs ashy white marbled with black 

 and narrowly tipped with white ; middle tail feathers brownish black ; outer feathers lighter, with transverse waved lines of 

 black, and tipped with white ; bill greenish black ; legsgreenish yellow. Total length, Tj to 8 inches ; wing, 5j ; tail, 3 ; bill, 

 from gape, 1 ; tarsus, IJ inches. 



Hub.— AW of North America, South America, Europe. 



This is a little bird of rather peculiar style of form, and of remarkable and handsome 

 plumage. Its relationship appears to be to the preceding well known species. Both, this and 

 the preceding bird more habitually frequent plains and other dry localities than any of the true 

 sandpipers. 



This bird is distributed throughout the continent of America. Specimens in the jjresent 

 collection are the first ever brought from west of the Rocky mountains. 



In the collection of the Philadelphia Academy we find numerous specimens of this bird from 

 various countries of Central and South America, in which it appears to be more especially at 

 home than in North America or Europe. It is easily distinguished from all other known 

 American species by the handsome mottling of the primaries, very conspicuou.s and characteristic 

 on their inner webs. The intimate relationship of the i)resent bird to that immediately 



