628 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— LIMICOL^. 



margined. Adult in spring : Upper parts a nearly uniform light grayisli-ash, each feather 

 with a central brownish-black field, deepening into pure black on the scapulars, where also the 

 edgings of some of the feathers have a reddish tinge. Tertials sooty-brown, fading into light 

 ashy on the edges. Secondaries and greater coverts dark grayish-ash, edged and broadly 

 tipped with wliite. Primaries deep dusky, almost black on the outer vanes and at the tips, 

 the innermost edged with white ; shafts of all brown at base and black at tip, the central 

 portion being white. Upper tail-coverts white, with sagittate spots of dusky. Tail-feathers 

 ashy-brown, the central pair darkest. Under parts white ; the jugulum, breast, and sides of 

 the neck with a slight reddish tinge, and, together with the sides, with numerous streaks and 

 oval spots of dusky, which become large and V-shaped on the flanks. Length 9.50 ; wing 

 5.75 ; tail 2.75; bill 1.25 ; tarsus 1.12. Long Island; only one specimen known. It is stiU 

 uncertain whether this is a good species or an unusual state of T. canutus or A. maculata. 



6iy. A. acumina'ta. (Lat. acuminata, acuminate.) Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. A large species, 

 of the size and with somewhat the general aspect of the pectoral sandpiper. Tail graduated, 

 almost cuneate, aU the feathers more or less acuminate, the projecting middle pair particularly 

 so. Bill about as long as head ; tarsus equal to middle toe and claw ; toes perfectly free. CrowTi 

 bright chestnut, streaked with black, bounded by decided whitish superciliary lines ; diflferent 

 from the hind neck. Upper parts with the pattern of coloration of those of A. maculata, the 

 feathers being black, with bright chestnut edges, and many of them also with whitish tips, the 

 edgings not making scallops, and particularly straight and firm on the long tertials. Central 

 field of rump and upper tail-coverts black, scarcely or not varied with reddish tips of the feathers, 

 the sides of this area white with dusky touches. Tail-feathers dusky, the middle ones darker 

 or black, all firmly rimmed about with chestnut, buff, or whitish edging. Primaries blackish, 

 their shafts mostly white; secondaries dusky, successively acquiring white tips and edges; 

 greater coverts dusky, white-tipped. Entire under parts white, more or less suffused on the 

 jugulum, breast, and sides with a light ruddy brown (much as in Podasocys viontanus), the 

 jugulum alone w^th a set of small sharp dusky touches, being an extension across the throat ot 

 better pronounced streaks of the sides of the head, neck, and breast, leaving the chin definitely 

 pure white. The effect is quite different from that produced by the heavy streaking of A. ma- 

 culata. Bill and feet blackish. Length probably 9.00-9.50 ; wing 5.25 ; taU 2.50 ; bill 1.00 ; 

 tarsus 1.20 ; middle toe and claw the same. (Described from several late summer and early 

 fall specimens, taken in Alaska. An Australian spechnen before me is smaller (wing under 

 5.00, etc.), and, excepting the crown, lacks any reddish of the upper parts, aU the edgings 

 being simply gi'ay; the ruddy suffusion of the breast is scarcely seen.) An interesting species, 

 widely diffused in the Old World, lately found in Alaska, where it is common in summer in 

 some localities, as Saint Michael's, and where it doubtless breeds ; extent of its migration in 

 America, if any, unknoAvn. 



236. ARQUATEL'LA. (Lat. arquatella, dim. of arquata, for arcuata, bowed.) Feather-leg 

 Sandpipers. Bill, tarsus, and middle toe, obviously not of equal lengths. Tarsus shorter 

 than bill or middle toe ; tibiae feathered, the feathers reaching the sufirago. Toes very long, 

 broadly margined, and flattened underneath. Hind toe very short; claws short and blunt. 

 Tail moderate, wedge-shaped. Bill variable, always longer than head, straight or slightly 

 decurved, very slender, much compressed, tip scarcely expanded, groove on lower mandible 

 shallow or obsolete. A generic group established upon the well-known " purple " sandpiper, 

 to which two other species or varieties have recently been added. The following analysis is 

 taken from B. N. 0. C, v, 1880, p. 162. 



Analysis of Species or Varieties. 

 Breeding dress: Crown streaked with yellowish-gray, or grayish-white; scapulars and interscapulars 

 irregularly spotted and indented with dull buff, or whitish, and tipped with white ; fore-neck dis- 

 tinctly streaked with dusky ; breast dull gray, everywhere spotted with darker. Winter dress : Back 

 and scapulars sooty-black strongly glossed with purplish ; the feathers bordered terminally with dark 



