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V. S p. R. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



List of specimens. 



THING A COOPERI, Baird. 



Sp. Ch. — Rather smaller than T. canutiis. Bill straight ; longer than the tarsus, which exceeds the middle toe. Above 

 gray ; the feathers of back with dark centres, and without abruptly light borders. Upper tail coverts white, each feather with 

 V-shaped marks of black. Beneatb clear white ; the breast and sides with small oral spots or streaks of black. Length, 9j 

 inches ; wing, 5.75 ; tail, 2.80 ; bill above, 1.23 ; tarsus, 1.14 ; middle toe and claw, 1. 



Hab. — Long Island. 



Bill straight, rather broad, and a little widened at the tip ; a little longer than the tarsi. 

 Tarsus a little longer than the middle toe. Hind toe and claw well developed. Bare part of 

 tibia a little more than half the tarsus ; just half the bill. Tail doubly emarginate, but the 

 central feathers projecting but slightly. Upper parts ashy gray, this being the color of the 

 borders ; the basal and central portion, however, is blackish, showing occasionally as a large 

 spot. There are several scapular feathers which appear to be assuming a more perfect dress, and 

 ■which are black, abruptly edged laterally with pale rusty, passing towards the tip into ashy. 

 There is no rusty, however, on any other feathers. The head and neck are grayish, streaked 

 with brown ; the chin whitish. The upper tail coverts are white, each one with a V-shaped 

 mark of brown ; the rump feathers are brown, edged with whitish. The under parts are quite 

 pure white, with a trace of reddish on the lower neck, but no indication of an ashy jugulum. 

 The lower part of the neck, the jugulum, and the sides of the body, show elongated oval spots 

 of brown, not much crowded, but very well defined. These blotches under the wings are rather 

 V-shaped, but where exposed are only in the end of the feather. There are also a few streaks 

 in the crissum. 



The subject of the present description appears in many respects diiferent from any Tringa 

 described as North American. It approaches to Actodromas maculaia and honapartii in the 

 short, straight bill and other peculiarities of form. It is rather larger than the former, the bill 

 exceeding the tarsus, and the tarsus longer than the middle toe, instead of having bill, tarsus, 

 and toes of about the same length. There is nothing of the ashy jugulum of maculata, nor 

 the blackish central field of the rump and upper tail coverts. The spots on the sides are better 

 defined, and, instead of being shaft lines, are oval spots. 



It is much larger than A. honapartii, which has the same proportions of bill as A. maculata. 



The affinities after all, are, perhaps, closest to Tringa canultts. It is, however, smaller, the 

 bill not so stout at the base. The legs are slenderer and longer^ the bare part of tibia nearly 

 two- thirds the tarsus, instead of not more than two-fifths. The hind toe is longer, and all the 

 claws are lengthened and acute, instead of short and blunt. The differences in coloration 

 between winter specimens consists in tlie greater distinctness of the spots on the sides and 

 breawt. Both have the upper tail coverts white, with V or U-shaped marks of black. The 



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