890 



MACRORHAMPHUS GRISEUS (Leach). 



THE GRAY SNIPE • REDBREASTED SNIPE, DOWITCHER. 



Specific Character. — About the size of Gallinago Wilsoni. Shaft of the first 

 primary strong, pure white ; axillars, tail coverts, and lower part of rump, white 

 barred or transversely spotted with slate colour ; upper part of rump white 

 usually immaculate ; tail slate coloured or dusky barred with white, (or in sum- 

 mer adult with pale cinnamon on middle feathers). In summer brownish black 

 above variegated with bay ; below brownish red variegated with dusky ; a 

 tawny superciliary stripe and a dark one from the bill to the eye. In winter 

 belly and anal region white, usually unmarked ; rest of plumage uniform ash 

 gray, somewhat mixed with white on breast and sides ; a whitish superciliary 

 stripe and wing coverts bordered with white. Wing, 5.50 ; bill, 2.50 ; tarsus, 1.85 ; 

 culmen, 2.30 ; middle toe .95. 



Habitat. — Atlantic coast of North America, breeding in the region about 

 Hudson's Bay. 



Formerly the Redbreasted snipe was quite common, being generally seen in 

 small " wisps." Wilson reports that it occurred in his time in large flocks. Of 

 late years, however, it is not found in any numbers in Ontario. 



