374 LONG-LEGGED SANDPIPER. 



Although the specific name of lobata was given first by Linn^ to the 

 present species before he bestowed upon it the additional one of hyper- 

 horea, we have thought it proper to retain the latter, which is also 

 Linnean, because that of lobata has been successively applied to each 

 of the three species, and by Latham exclusively appropriated to another, 

 whilst the present has never been so misapplied, and is long since unani- 

 mously consecrated to this species. By adopting the prior name of 

 lobata, we should have been compelled to quote our own authority, and 

 say Ph. lobatus, Nob., since Ph. lobaius, Lath., is the Ph. fuUcarius, 

 and Ph. lobatus, Ord, the Ph. wihonii. 



TRINGA EIMANTOPUS. 



LONG-LEGGED SANDPIPER. 



[Plate XXV. Fig. 3.] 



Tringa himantopus, Nob, in Ann. Lye. New York, ir , p. 157. Id. Cat. and Syn. 

 Birds U. S. Sp. 245. Id. Speech, eonip. sp. Philad. 



The figure of this remarkable bird cannot fail to create a sensation 

 among naturalists, and a careful examination may induce them to attach 

 more importance to our subgenus HemipaJama than Baron Cuvier has 

 done, and to admit that it is quite as distinct as his 3Iachetes. That 

 this has not already been done is no doubt because the real type, which 

 is this species, was so little known. The Tringa semipalmata of Wil- 

 son, which we have united with it merely on account of its semipal- 

 mated toe, has no real affinity with it, but is similar to the other Sand- 

 pipers, and we should never have thought of instituting a separate 

 group for it alone, more than for the Charadrius semipalmatus. 



The Long-legged Sandpiper is in fact one of those beings that 

 although intimately connected with several groups, with which they 

 have many things in common, yet possess peculiarities sufficient to insu- 

 late them completely from all that surround them. It is very remark- 

 able for its anomalous characters. Though decidedly a Tringa, it con- 

 nects, still more evidently than the other species with long subarched 

 bills, that have been placed in Numenius by German authors, this latter 

 genus with its own, since to the other common traits of resemblance it 

 unites the semipalmated toes ; so that in fact instead of placing it at 

 the head of the Tringce, it should rather be arranged last of the 

 Numenii, were this not forbidden by the long and delicate legs and toes, 

 as well as some other peculiarities easier to perceive than to express by 

 words. As a species, in form, dimensions, and especially in plumage, 

 this bird greatly resembles Tringa subarquata of Temminck (Numenius 



