LIMICOLAE— SCOLOrACIDAE— M. GEISEUS. 



453 



springs, even as far north as Central Utah, it finds an abundance of food, 

 and exists there under such circumstances during the winter. When found 

 in the marshy coverts it so loves to frequent in the East, it has all the habits 

 it there exhibits, living on worms which it finds below the surface by boring 

 into the soft earth with its sensitive bill. In migrating, however, especially 

 in Arizona and New Mexico, did it depend wholly upon its usual methods 

 of obtaining sustenance, it would fare badly, since, in some sections, there is 

 a total lack of meadow and marsh, and then it may be seen in broad mid- 

 day running along the sandy borders of the streams, and picking up from 

 among the pebbles and debris any tidbits in the shape of insects it can find. 

 It retains, however, even under these adverse conditions, its habit of squat- 

 ting, and, when approached closely, I have seen it lower its body close to 

 the ground, shrink as it were into as little space as possible, and so remain 

 till I was within a few feet, Avhen it would get u.p Avith its well known scai2), 

 scaip, and, following the turns and sinuosities of the stream, endeavor to 

 find some- little covered nook into which it could di'op out of sight. 



MACRORHAMPHUS GRISEUS (Gmel.). 

 Red-breasted Snipe. 



Scolopax ijrisea, Gmel., Syst. Nat., i, 1788, 658.— Newb., P. R. R. Rep., vi, 1857, Birds, 

 100. 



Macrorhamphus grisevs, Bd., Birds N. A., 1858, 712.— Id, U. S. & Mex. Bouud. Surv., 

 ii, pt. ii, 1859, Birds, 25.— Goop. & Suckl., P. R. E. Rep., xii, pt. ii, 1860, 

 238.— CouES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1866, 97 (Arizoua).— Allen, 

 Bui. Mus. Comp. Zocil., 1872, 181 ( Utah).— Snow, Birds Kau., 1872, 13.— 

 CouES, Key N. A. Birds, 1872, 253, f. 164.— Yarkow & Henshaw, Rep. 

 Oru. Specs., 1872, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 29.— Henshaw, Rep. Om. Specs., 

 1873, Wlieelei's Exped, 1874, 6S, 144.— CouES, Birds Northwest, 1874, 477. 



Scolopax novehoracemis, Hberm., P. R. R. Rei)., x, 1859, pt. iv, 66. 



