202 SCOLOPACIDiE : SNIPE, ETC. 



GREATER LONG-BEAK. 



Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus (Say) Coues. 



Chars. Very similar to the last, and distinguishable with difficulty, 

 if at all. Averaging larger: wing, 5.40-6.00, average, 5.75 ; bill, 

 2.10-3.00, average, 2.70; tarsus, I-35-I.75, average, 1.60; mid- 

 dle toe, 0.95- 1. 1 5, average, 1.00. In summer plumage, abdomen 

 uniform reddish, without markings (in griseus whitish) ; breast 

 scantily speckled and sides barred with dusky {\n grisetis^ breast 

 and sides speckled with dusky). Young and winter specimens 

 not distinguishable with any certainty from those oi griseus, as the 

 dimensions of the two intergrade. 



The balance of opinion respecting this doubtful bird 

 seems to have settled in favor of at least its varietal dis- 

 tinction from M. griseus. According to the latest author- 

 ity on the subject, Mr. Ridgway, specimens never occur in 

 western North America which have in summer the ab- 

 domen either whitish or speckled, or the sides speckled ; 

 these being characters peculiar to birds of the Atlantic 

 coast (true grise?is), where these abound in the migra- 

 tions in the proportion of about a thousand to one of 

 scolopaceus. The coloration as above given is said to 

 be more constant than the dimensions, though scolo- 

 paccKS averages larger than griseus. Young birds and 

 those in winter plumage cannot be distinguished, ex- 

 cepting those specimens of scolopaceus which surpass the 

 maximum dimensions of griseus. (Bull. Nutt. Club, v, 

 1880, p. 158.) 



Mr. Newbold T. Lawrence has paid particular atten- 

 tion to this subject, and we extract in substance his 

 article in Bull. Nutt. Club, v, 1880, p. 154. Mr. Law- 

 rence says that the bill of scolopaceus varies from 2.50 



