816 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — LIMICOL/E. 



ashy and white winter plumage like Tnost Sandpipers. Length 9.00-9.50 inches; extent 

 16.50-18.00; wing (average) 5.25; bill, tarsus, and middle toe with claw about 1.10; $ notably 

 larger than 9 ; $ wing nearly or about 5.50 ; bill and tarsus 1.10 ; 9 wing scarcely 5.00 ; bill 

 and tarsus about 1.05. Three Americas, West Indies, Greenland, Hawaii, and Europe; thus 

 of wide and general dispersion ; in U. S. during migrations, when abundant in wet grassy mead- 

 ows and muddy flats. More common east than west. It goes very far N., quite to the Arctic 

 Ocean, and breeds only in high latitudes ; eggs 3-4, only distinguishable from those of the two 

 preceding speeies by their superior size, about 1.45 X 1.00. In some respects of habit it is quite 

 snipe-like; it never flocks on beaches with the smaller Sandpipers, and it has at times a way- 

 ward towering flight, like that of a Snipe. During amours, this Sandpiper has the power of 

 inflating the throat to a wonderful extent, forming a swelling which hangs like a great goitre 

 upon the breast (see E. Adams, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 130; Nelson, Auk, 1884, p. 218, and his 

 Alaska, 1887, pi. 8). This action recalls that of Pouter-pigeons, and the appearance is that 

 of the (J Ruff under similar excitement. At such times it utters a resonant musical note. 

 "Pectoral Sandpiper" is a book-name, seldom spoken, the bird being better known as the 

 "Grass-snipe," and "Jack-snipe" ; but both these names are objectionable, as it is not a Snipe ; 

 and "Jack-snipe" moreover, is the proper name of an English species of GaUinago (G. gal- 

 linula) not found in this country, where G. delicata commonly takes the same designation. 

 A. fuscicol'lis. (Lat. fuscus, fuscous, dusky; colliim, the neck.) White-rumped Sand- 

 piper. Bonaparte's Sandpiper. Bill quite stout, moderately long, equal to head or 

 tarsus, tips somewhat expanded. Grooves on both mandibles long and deep. Feathers ex- 

 tending on lower mandible but little beyond those on upper. Wings long, pointed, 1st pri- 

 mary decidedly longest ; inner secondaries long, narrow, and flowing. Tail moderate, quite 

 deeply doubly emarginate, central feathers somewhat pointed and considerably projecting. 

 Tarsus rather longer than middle toe. Toes long, slender, and slightly margined. Crown 

 and upper parts generally light brownish-ash, each feather with a large fleld of dusky toward 

 its end, and on crown and middle of back edged with light yellowish-red, deepening into bright 

 sienna on scapulars. Superciliary stripe white. Lesser wing-coverts dark brownish-ash, fad- 

 ing into light ashy on edges, and with shaft-lines of blackish. Secondaries and greater coverts 

 light grayish-ash, edged and tipped with white. Inner secondaries very dark brownish-ash, 

 fading into light ashy on edges. Primaries deep dusky, their shafts white in central portions, 

 and innermost edged with white. Rump brownish-black with ashy margins. Upper tail- 

 coverts white, their outer series with sagittate spots of dusky. Central tail-feathers brownish- 

 black, the rest very light grayish-ash, broadly edged and tipped with white. Jugulum and 

 breast M'ith a scarcely appreciable wash of light ashy, with numerous, distinct, linear-oblong 

 streaks of dusky brown; these extend as minute dots nearly or quite to the bill, and as narrow 

 shaft-lines along sides to vent. Rest of under parts white, immaculate. Lower mandible flesh- 

 colored for half its length ; rest of bill, with legs and feet, black. Length 7.50 ; extent 15.00 ; 

 wing 4.90; bill, tarsus, and middle toe with claw, rather less than 1.00. Young in August: 

 Upper parts nearly uniform dark ash, the black of the adults showing at intervals, but princi- 

 pally on scapulars, where also reddish margins of the feathers appear. Jugulum and sides 

 under the wings with an ashy sufl'usion, more conspicuous than in the adult, but much more 

 restricted, and the streaks more obsolete and indistinct. Central pair of upper tail-coverts 

 usually dusky. Other parts as in the adult. North and South America ; Greenland ; Europe. 

 Breeds from Labrador northward; Barren Grounds; migratory through the U. S. east of the 

 Rocky Mts. ; a common beach bird. Eggs 1.35 X 0.95, not distinguishable from those of ^. 

 bairdi. (A. ftonrf^o/f/i of former eds. of the Key; antedated by T. fusdcollis Vieill. 1819. ) 

 A. coo'peri? (To Wm. Cooper.) Cooper's Sandpiper. Bill considerably longer than 

 head, exceeding tarsus, straiglit, rather stout, tip scarcely expanded. Feathers extending on 

 side of lower mandible scarcely farther than those on upper. Wings long, pointed, first pri- 



