PHILOHELA MINOR. ISO 



ago and the other was taken at Magnolia on the nineteenth of September, 18C9; anofher 

 ■was shot near the same phice shortly after. Both of the^^e latter named specimens were run- 

 ning along the border of a small, fresh water pond situated near the sliore. Out of the 

 large number of small Phalaropes seen ofT the coast, it is possible that some may prove to 

 be of this species. The Red Phalaropes appear to be much more maritime than the others, 

 seldom being found in the interior. They breed in the Arctic Zone, like all I'halaropes, 

 placing the eggs on the ground. The males of this and the preceding species are said to 

 be duller in color than the females and to perform the duties of incubation. 



FAMILY V. SCOLOPACID^. THE SNIPES, ETC. 



Bill, variable in length hut grooved throughout, and covered loith a soft akin at tip. 

 Marginal indentations, two or four. 



This is a large family and, like all the present order, the members present quite va- 

 riable characters; thus it is exceedingly difficult to find any one peculiarity possessed by 

 all the genera. The bill is either greatly lengthened or shorter than the head and is much 

 curved, straight, or even recurved. The stomach is muscular or soft, with a large or small 

 proventriculus. The intestines are small and long or large and short. Coeca, long or near- 

 ly rudimentary. The laryngeal muscles are variable. The above given characters repre- 

 sent the extremes, while there are every possible gradation between the two limits, and 

 other peculiarities of form, which are given under generic and specific characters. 



GENUS T. PHILOHELA. THE WOODCOCKS. 



Gev. Cn. Bill, less than lioice Ihe /cnytlt of the head which is rathe?' larye. Le'/s, short, with tibia feathered to tarsal 

 joint. Three outer feathers of primaries , attenuated. Keel, equal in heiyht to width of sternum. Maryinal indentations, 

 two, small Coracoids, someiohal exce.edinij in lenijth the heiijhl of keel. 



The stomach i-; oval in form and quite muscular, with a harJ, rugo-e membrane. The proventriculus is hrge. The 

 intestines are smiill hut long and the coeca very short. Sterno-treachealis, quite stout. Bronchialis, quire well developed 

 and there is a slight broncho-trachealis, extending over two half rings, while a singular accessory muscle which is mem- 

 hranous, emerges from the lower portion of the trachea and spreading triangularly adheres to the bronchials above, and 

 below, to the rudimentary manubrium. Tympaniform membrane, present but there is no os transversale. Seses, similar. 

 There is but one species within our limits, which is more or less nocturnal. 



PHILOHELA MINOR. 



American Woodcock. 



Philohela minor Gray, List Genera; 1841. 



DKSCKIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, fleshy, long, thin, and slender, narrowing toward tip which is point- 

 ed but not horny. Sternum, stout. 



Color. Adult. Above, ashy-brown, irregularly banded with yellowish-rufous, mottled on the back with ashy, and 

 coarsely marked wit!i dark velvety-brown. Line; from bill to eye. short line on car coverts, top of head and tail, dark-brown, 

 with the two latter banded witli vellowish-rufous and the tail is tipped with ashy al)ove and white beneath. Forehead to 

 eye, a.shy. Sides of head and un<lor parts, redilish-buff, palest cen>rally, and tinged with ashy on neck. Under tail cov- 

 erts, streaked with black and tipped with white. 



Younij. Quite similar to the adult but iiuic'i more ricldy colored below and darker above, where the dark markings 

 are rather irregular. 



Nestlinr/s. Are covered with a reddish-buff down, marked above with very dark-brown much as in the adult. Bill, 

 feet, and iris, brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Readily known by the three peculiarly attenuated outer primaries, form, and c Jors as described. Distributed in sum- 

 mer, throughout Eastern North America; wintering in the South. 



