FAMILY SCOLOPACIDAE 393 



2, 1955, on the beach at Fort Amador, probably were migrants. 

 Arbib and Loetscher (Auk, 1935, p. 326) saw several at Panama 

 Viejo on August 7 and 28, 1934. HalHnan (Auk, 1924, p. 309) 

 collected one near Panama City on August 11, 1907. 



A female with undeveloped ovaries was taken on Isla Coiba on 

 January 30, 1956, and another female shot on January 24, 1960, at 

 Manzanillo, on the eastern side of Isla del Rey, was in similar stage. 

 It is possible that the birds may nest on this island as Brown col- 

 lected 3 near the town of San Miguel on February 29 and March 11, 

 1904 (Thayer and Bangs, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 46, 1905, 

 p. 146). Morrison secured an immature male, fully grown, on Isla 

 San Jose, August 2, 1944. 



Family SCOLOPACIDAE : Snipe, Sandpipers, and Allies ; 

 Agachadizas, Playeros, y Aliados. 



In this, the most abundant group of the true shorebird families, 

 the species in general resemble the plovers, but most have longer, 

 more slender bills, and there is a greater variation in size. None of 

 those found in Panama nest there, all being migrant from the north. 

 While many are found on inland waters their greatest abundance is 

 along the coasts, where flocks of thousands may be found on muddy 

 shores at appropriate seasons. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF SCOLOPACIDAE 



1. Without a hind toe Sanderling, Crocethia alba, p. 416 



Hind toe present 2 



2. Bill long and prominently decurved (size large). 



Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus, p. 396 



Bill variable in length, usually straight, if not the curvature only slight 



and near tip 3 



3. Bill more than 100 mm. long (size large). 



Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa, p. 398 



Bill much shorter, less than 80 mm., usually much less 4 



4. Bill more than 40 mm 5 



Bill less than 40 mm 9 



5. Larger, wing more than 170 mm., tip of bill smooth 6 



Smaller, wing less than 160 mm., tip of bill minutely pitted 7 



6. Primaries with a striking, contrasted pattern of black and white. 



Willet, Catoptrophorus scmipalmatiis inornatus, p. 406 

 Primaries plain browTiish black. 



Greater yellowlegs, Totamts melanoleuctis, p. 400 



7. Tail with a chestnut-brown subterminal bar. 



Common snipe, Capella gallinago delicata, p. 413 

 Tail barred black and white, without chestnut-brown subterminal bar. 8 



