174 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



feathers, short, nearly even or slightly doubly emarginate, the central feathers 

 projecting but little. Legs very long ; tarsus equal to the bill ; exposed por- 

 tion of tibia equal to middle toe, which is not quite two-thirds the tarsus. 

 Toes with a decided basal membrane ; flattened beneath, but only moderately 

 margined. Hind toe well developed. Body slender ; neck long. 



A marked and very peculiar genus of Sandpipers, of which the most cha- 

 racteristic feature, in addition to the long compressed bill, is the remarkable 

 elongation of the tibia and tarsus. The former is exposed for fully the length 

 of the middle toe, and is bare for a tenth of an inch or more further. The 

 tibial feathers are very short. The tarsus is nearly a third longer than the 

 middle toe. The basal membrane of the toes, which, though much emargin- 

 ated, is very considerable and decided, is greatest between the outer and mid- 

 dle toe, where it extends to the first joint. The wings and tail are moderate, 

 and present no special peculiarities. 



In the lengthened sensitive bill, basal membrane of the toes, and some other 

 characters, Micropalama seems to have a close affinity to Macroramphux, and 

 in a measure to connect by means of that genus Scolopacece and Tringece, pos- 

 sessing, nevertheless, all the distinguishing features of the latter section. 

 Among the Tringece it comes nearest to Ereunetes, which has the basal web 

 and the same relative free portion of bill and tarsus. The other characters, 

 however, are widely different. 



Hemipalama was proposed by Bonaparte in 1825 as a subgenus for the Tringi 

 semipalmata of Wilson, but was subsequently used for the present bird. But 

 as the generic characters are very different, the name cannot be used in this 

 connection. Micropalama of Baird has as its type the T. himantopms of Bona- 

 parte, and is the name which should be employed. 



Micropalama himantopus, (Bon.), Baird. — Stilt Sandpiper. 



Tringa himantopus, Bonaparte, Ann. N. Y. Lye. ii. 1826, 157, [fide Gen. Rep.] 



Lesson, Manual Ornith. 1828, ii. 284. Swainson, F. B. A. 1831, ii. 380. 



Bonaparte, Am. Orn. 1833, iv. 89, tab. 25, fig. 3. Audubon, Orn. Biog. 



1838, iv. 332, tab. 344; Id. Syn. 1839, 235 ; Id. Birds Amer. 1842, v. 271, 



tab. 334. Giraud, Birds L. I. 1844, 232. 

 Tringa Bouglassii, Swainson, F. B. A. 1831, ii. 379, tab. 66. 

 Tringa {Hemipalama) Doiiglassii, Nuttall, Man. Orn. 1834, ii. 141, [cum fig.] 

 Tringa (Hemipalama) himantopus, Bonaparte, Spec. Comp. 1827, 61 ; id. Syn. 



1828, 316. Nuttall, Man. Orn. 1834, ii. 138. 

 Tringa {Hemi]ialama) Auduhonii, Nuttall, Man. Orn. 1834, ii. 140, [juv.] 

 Hemipalama himantopus, Bonaparte, Comp. List. 1838, 49. Dekay, N. Y. F. 



1844, 235, tab. 86, fig. 196. 

 Hemipalama multistriata, "Licht." Gray, Genera, 1849, iii. 578. 

 Totanus himantopus, Lambeye, Av. Cubae, 1850, 95. 

 Micropalama himantopus, Baird, Gen. Kep. 1858, 726. 



Sp. Char. Bill much longer than the head, very slightly decurved, much 

 compressed ; the tip flattened, expanded, punctulate. Wings moderate or 

 rather long, first primary longest, the rest successively more rapidly gradu- 

 ated. Tail rather short, slightly doubly emarginate, the central feathers pro- 

 jecting but little. Legs very long ; exposed portion of tibia equal to middle 

 toe, which is two-thirds the tarsus. Adult in spring. — Upper parts very dark 

 brownish black, deepest on the scapulars, each featlier edged and tipped with 

 white, light yellowish or reddish, which on the scapulars makes two or three 

 deep indentations. A dusky line from bill to eye, and a light one over the 

 latter to the occiput. Auriculars, and a continuous line beneath and in front of 

 the eye, light chestnut red. A broad stripe of bright chestnut on each side of 

 the occiput, confluent on the nape. Rump dusky ; upper tail coverts white, 

 transversely barred with wavy lines cf deep dusky. Primaries deep dusky, 

 the tips blackish. Tail ashy grey, central feathers scarcely darker, the mar- 



[July, 



