808 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —LIMICOL.E. 



Analysis of Macrorhamphus. 



Length 10.00 to 12.50 ; extent 17.50-20.00; wing 5.30-G.OO, average 5.70; bill 2.00-3.00; tarsus 1.25-1.75, average 

 1.53 ; middle toe without claw 0.90-1.10, average 1.00. 

 Wing 5.25-5.00, average 5.05 ; bill 2.00-2.55, average 2.30 ; tarsus, average 1.35 ; middle toe alone, average 0.95. 



In summer : Belly whitish ; breast and sides speckled with dusky griseiis 



Wing 5.40-0.00, average 5.75 ; bill 2.20-3.20, average 2.80 ; tarsus, average 1.00 ; middle toe alone, average 1.00. 

 In summer : Belly cinnamon-brown ; breast scantily speckled with dusky ; sides barred with dusky 



g. scolopaceus 



Measurements of nine individuals, which I shot out of one flock in N. Dakota, Oct. 1, 1873, formerly supposed to 

 include both species, and to show their perfect gradation in size ; now supposed to show individual variation in 

 31. scolopaceus alone. 



Total length . . 

 Extent of wings . 

 Wing .... 

 Whole naked leg . 

 BiU 



10.25 



17.50 



5.40 



3.40 



2.20 



10.50 



18.00 



5.50 



3.40 



2.40 



11.00 



18.50 



5.05 



3.40 



2.50 



11.25 

 19.25 



3 35 



2.85 



11.50 

 19.00 

 5.75 

 4.00 

 2.90 



11 75 

 10.50 

 5.90 

 4.10 

 2.90 



11.90 



19.75 



COO 



4.00 



2.95 



12.25 



20.25 



G.IO 



4.10 



3.05 



1250 

 19.50 

 5.85 

 4.15 

 3.25 



M. gri'seus. (Lat. griseus, gray. Fig. 562.) Ked-breasted Snipe (summer). Brown 

 Snipe (suininer). Gray Snipe (winter). Robin Snipe (summer). Quail Snipe. Brown- 

 back (summer). Gray-back (winter). Driver. Sea-pigeon. Dowitcher or Dowitch 

 (i.e. Dcutscher or Duitsch, meaning "Dutch" or "German" Snipe, as distiiigui.shed from 

 "English " Snipe; German Snipe was the name of it in former years, from the Dutch tradi- 

 tions of New York; it was the New York Godwit of some hooks, Scolopax noreboracensis of 

 others. G- Trumbull notes also the spellings Dowitchee and Doewitch). Adult 9 (^> in 

 summer: Under parts rich rusty-red, paler or whitish on belly; jugulum, breast, and sides 



Fig. 502. — Bill of Blacrorhamphus griseus. nat. size, ir profile, and its end from above. (Ad. nat. del. E. C.) 



fully speckled with dusky. Axillars and lining of wings white, with angular dusky markings. 

 Wing-quills fuscous, shaft of 1st primary white, of (.)thers brown ; secondaries conspicuously 

 tipped with white. Above, black, varied everywhere with the reddish color of under parts, 

 and on back and scapulars with white; lower back snowy-white, very conspicuous in flight; 

 rump white spotted with black. Tail and its upper coverts black, closely barred with white 

 or rufous. A dusky line from bill to eye. Bill and feet greenish-black. In winter: Dark 

 gray above, the feathers with dusky centres and pale gray or whitish edges ; lower back pure 

 white; superciliary line and spot on under eyelid white; below, white, jugulum, fore-breast, 

 and sides heavily shaded with gray, leaving chin whitish ; flanks and crissum with wavy dusky 

 spots or bars. (For dimensions, see above.) This bird is supposed to be restricted to eastern 

 North America, especially Jilong the Atlantic coast, where it abounds during migration, in pro- 

 portion of 1,000 to 1 of the next variety. This is the official declaration. But we understand 

 privately among ourselves, that it is simply an officiality, for the bird flies where it pleases in 

 North America, to say nothing of the West Indies, Brazil, England, and continental Europe. 

 Breeds in high latitudes. Among shore birds, this is a great favorite with gunners. 

 M g. scolopa'ceus. (Lat. scolopaceus, snipe-like. Fig. 563.) Western Red-breasted 

 Snipe. Red-bellied Snipe. Western Dowitcher. White-tailed Dowitcher. 



