590 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



black, with pale median stripe ; tail feathers sixteen. Length, 

 11 inches; bill, 2 J inches; leg, naked, 3 inches; tail, 2^ inches. 

 "Arrive in March, frequenting meadows exclusively. At this 

 time, generally in loose flocks. The ' killdeer ' always heralds 

 their arrival. The greater part pass on to the North, but num- 

 bers remain, building nests in long grass, most frequently about 

 springs in the upland, raising but one brood. Returning from 

 the North, they reach us during the latter part of September and 

 in October. A few not improbably remain during the winter." 



MACRORHAMPUS, Leach. 

 M. griseus, Gmel. Gray Snipe. Brown-back Dowitcher, &c. 



Toes webbed at base ; rump white and barred ; tail slaty, 

 barred with white; sides of neck, chest, &c., light cinnamon, 

 speckled with dusky ; belly white ; top of head streaked with 

 bufiy and dusky ; back variegated with pale cinnamon and 

 dusky ; in winter plumage is more whitish and ash gray. 

 Length, lOJ inches; tarsus, 1^ inches. Breeds in Northeastern 

 North America. Sometimes confused with next. 



M. scolopaceus, Say. Red-breasted Snipe. Long-billed Dowitcher, (fee. 



General characters same as preceding, but entire belly and 

 breast bay in summer, white in winter ; sides barred with dusky. 

 Length, 12 inches; tarsus, 1^ inches. Breeds in Northwestern 

 North America. Bill, 2f inches (eulmen); longer than in pre- 

 ceding. 



" Called ' dowitcher ' very generally along the shore. Arrives 

 in April, and frequents the beach, and bog meadows. They re- 

 appear late in July, and are found in great numbers till late in 

 September. Author has found them most abundant about Tuck- 

 erton. Frequently called ' brown-backs.' " — [C. C. A.] 



These are considered as two species by Ridgway, as one by 

 Jordan, Abbott, &c. 



MICROPALAMA, Bd. 

 M. himantopus, Bonap. Stilt Sandpiper. 



Toes webbed at base ; tail not barred ; bill straight, nearly 

 twice as long as head ; upper parts blackish, varied with gray 

 and but!*; top of head dusky, streaked with white ; lower parts 



