192 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



280, tab. 337 ; Girand, Birds L. I. 1844, 240. Gray, Genera, 1849, iii. 579. 



Woodhouse, Espl. Zuni. 1853, 100. 

 Pelidna pitsilla, Bonaparte, Comp. List, 1838, 50. Gosse, Birds Jamaica, 1847, 



348. 

 Tringa Wtlsoni, Nuttall, Man. 1834, ii. 121. Cooper et Suckley, Nat. Hist. 



Wash. Terr. 1860, 240. 

 Tringa (Tringa) piisilla, Bonaparte, Corap. Speech. 1827, 237. 

 Tringa {Actodromas) ^Vilsoni, Cassin, Gen. Rep. 1858, 721. 



Sp. Char. — The smallest of North American Tringece. Bill straight, very 

 slender, about equal to the tarsus, but varying comewhat, the tip scarcely 

 expanded, and the point very acute. Wings long, first and second primaries 

 about equal, third but little shorter. Tertials very long, frequently nearly 

 equalling the primaries. Tail rather long, the central feathers moderately pro- 

 jecting and rather rounded. Middle toe frequently sliglitly longer than tarsus. 

 Upper parts generally with each feather having a central black field, and being 

 edged with chestnut and tipped with ashy white, the margins making a deep 

 indentation in the middle of the feather. Outer row of tail coverts white, with 

 large, sagittate, dusky spots. Central tail feathers black, edged with light 

 reddish, the others very light ashy with whitish borders. Primaries deep 

 dusky, almost black, the shaft of the first white. Secondaries and greater 

 coverts dusky, lighter on the inner vanes, and tipped with white. An indistinct 

 whitish line over the eye, and a dusky one between the eye and bill. Jugulum 

 and sides to some distance with a very decided brownish suffusion, and thickly 

 marked with rounded spots and streaks of dusky. Chin and under parts gene- 

 rally white, the former usually with minute points of dusky. Legs, feet and 

 bill greenish dusky, the latter nearly black. 



Lengih 55 to 6, extent 11-5 to 12, wing 3-4. Bill, tarsus and middle toe 

 about -75. 



Habitat. — Entire temperate North America. 



The diminutive size of the present species at once distinguishes it from any 

 other Sandpiper now recognised as an inhabitant of North America; but in 

 view of the species of other countries with which it is very closely allied, and 

 especially of the uncertainty whether there be not two or more distinct species 

 in North America, a more minute description may not be considered as unneces- 

 sary In addition, therefore, to the preceding diagnosis, which presents the 

 principal characters of adult individuals, the following remarks may tend to 

 define it with more precision. 



In apparently adult specimens, the general style of coloration much more 

 closely resembles that of Bairdii than of macidaia, in the rounded black spots 

 and color of the edgings, as well as in the scolloping at the middle of each 

 feather. Young birds, however, are precisely similar to the maculata in the 

 same stage, having the edges of the feathers bright chestnut, and the tips pure 

 white. In this respect the species departs from the general rule with regard to 

 young birds, the plumage at that age being actually brighter than dtiring the 

 breeding season. The same is the case with the A. maculata. An evidence of 

 immaturity, however, may always be found in the color of the jugulum, where 

 the wash is simply dull ashy, and the streaks narrow and illy defined. The 

 chin, too, is immaculate, while with the adults it is usuallj' minutely dotted 

 with dusky. The young have the lesser wing coverts broadly margined with 

 light reddish, while the adults have them merely a lighter shade of the color 

 of the rest of the feather. The color of the jugulum is much that of A. Bairdii, 

 being of the same decided brownish tint; and the similarity is heightened by 

 the rounded and somewhat obsolete character of the spots. The color of the 

 breast extends along the sides about half way to the tail, but some feathers are 

 marked with dusky quite to the vent. The under tail coverts are usually im- 

 maculate, but sometimes have shaft lines of dusky. The primaries are deep 

 dusky, still darker at tip, the shaft of the first being white for its entire length, 



[July, 



