736 



U. S, p. K. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



a green li.etre ; primaries slightly tipped with white, and having a white spot on their inner edges; secondaries white at their 

 bases, and tipped with white ; middle feathers of the tail same green as other upper parts ; outer tipped with white, and with 

 irregular bars of brownieh black. Bill yellowish green, tipped with brown; feet reddish yellow. 



Young less bronzed above, and under parts white, without spots. 



Total length, 7J to 8 inches; wing, 4^ ; tail, 2 ; bill, 1 ; tarsus, rather less than 1 inch. 



Hab. — Entire temperate North America ; Oregon. Europe. 



Diffused throughout the United States, resorting, in the winter season, to the southern con- 

 fines of the rei^uhlic, and extending its range into Mexico and Central America. This little 

 bird has so frequently heen noticed in Europe that it is now given as a species of that con- 

 tinent by nearly all late authorities. 



List of specimens. 



rniLOMACIIUS, M o e h r i n g . 



Pliilomachus, Moehring, Genera Avium, 1752, 76. Type Tringa piignax, L. 



Machetes, Cuviek, R. Amer. 1817. 

 Ch. — Bill nearly straight; as long as the head or the outer toe. Groove of bill extending nearly to the tip. Bill 

 depressed, broad to the tip, which is scarcely expanded. Gape extending a little further back than the culmen ; the feathers 

 of lower mandibles e.\tending rather further forward than those of upper; those of chin still further. Legs slender; tarsus li 

 times as long as middle toe, 1 J times the. length of bare tibia. A basal web connecting the outer and middle toes to the first 

 joint of the former ; inner toe cleft to base. Tail rather long; distinctly barred. 



This genus, usually placed among Tringeae, appears to have most affinity with the present 

 section, .nd in a measure to connect Tringoides and Acliturus. The bill is more depressed, and 

 rather broader to the end than usual ; but it appears hard and firm, and with little or none of 

 the spoon-shaped expansion at the end. The greater cleft of the mouth, the half webbing of 

 the toes, the bars on the tail, the lengthened tarsi, &c., all seem to indicate the propriety of 

 placing it with Totaneae. ^ 



