MACRORHAMPHUS GRISEUS : GRAY SNIPE. 



199 



and sides heavily shaded with gray, leaving chin whitish ; the 

 flanks and crissum with wavy, dusky spots or bars. Length) 

 10.25 to 10.75 ; extent, 18.00 ; wing, 5.25-5.90, average about 5.60 ; 

 tail, 2.50 ; tarsus, i. 20-1. 55, average 1.35 ; bill, 2.00-2.50, very 

 variable. (The alleged differences of the supposed variety 

 M. scolopacetis are given beyond.) 



A common spring and autumn migrant. It is also 

 considered by both Dr. Brewer and Mr. Boardman to be 

 a summer resident in northern 

 New England, but we have no defi- 

 nite advices of its breeding in our 

 limits. It certainly nests very far 

 northward, even to the Arctic 

 Coasts of North America, though 

 many individuals re-appear among 

 us in August. The birds become 

 abundant during the following w 

 month, and afford excellent sport 

 to the gunners. They frequent 

 mud-bars, flat and marshy mead- 

 ows, in flocks often of considera- § 



5 

 ble size, and are in good condition ^ 



for the table. « 



Of several sets of eggs I have o 



examined, laid either by this spe- g 



cies or by var. scolopacciis, high •" 



in boreal regions of the United ^ 



States, one set contains four eggs, « 



another three, another only two ; •" 

 but we must presume that four is 

 the regular nest-complement. The 

 eggs are not peculiar among their 

 allies in any respect, and probably no description would 



