742 



U. S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



on the top of the head and on the back with brownish black ; stripe before and over the eye white ; under parts dull yellowish 

 white; under wing coverts and axillaries black; rump black; upper tail coverts white; tail black; base and tip white; bill 

 yellow, tipped with brownish black; legs dark brown. 



Total length about 15 inches; wing, 8j tail, 3; bill, 2J to 34; tarsus, 2i inches. 



Hal. — Northern and eastern North America; New Jersey, (Mr. A. Galbraith.) 



Much smaller than the preceding, ami easily distinguished by its white rump and black tail 

 at all ages, and when adult by the red color of the under parts of the body. It appears to be 

 abundant in the northern regions of this continent, but is of rare occurrence in the United 

 States, though occasionally met with in the winter. We have never seen it from the western 

 shores of the republic. 



This species is allied to the European L. melanura, but differs in having the axillars and 

 under coverts dark brown instead of white ; the neck brownish gray instead of chestnut. 



List of specimens. 



Section NTJMENIEAE. 

 NUMENIUS, Linuaeus. 



Numenius, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. 1746. Type Sculopax arquata, Linn. 



Ch. — Legs covered anteriorly with transverse scutellae, laterally and behind with email hexagonal scales. Bill very long, 

 exceeding the tibia, and curved downwards for the terminal half; the culmen rounded. Tip of bill expanded laterally and club- 

 shaped. Grooves of bill not reaching beyond the middle. Tortials as long as primaries. 



Bill variable in length, always longer than tarsus, sometimes exceeding tarsus and toes. It 

 is nearly straight at the base, then decurving quite rai)idly to the tip, where the upper mandible 

 is thickened downwards beyond and over the lower. Lateral grooves occupying only the basal 

 half or third of the bill ; under mandible not grooved beneath. Cleft of mouth extending but 

 little beyond the base of culmen. Feathers of head extending about the same distance on both 

 mandibles ; those of chin to opposite the anterior extremity of the nostrils. Tarsi nearly twice 

 as long as middle toe, rather more than twice the bare part of tibia. It is covered behind by 

 hexagonal scales larger than the lateral ones. Outer toe webbed for its basal joint ; inner 

 for half this distance. Tail short, nearly even, not quite half the wings. Tertials as long 

 as the primaries. 



Of the genus Numenius several species are found in North America, none of them occurring in 

 the Old World, as is the case with so many of the Tringeae. 



