SCOLOPACID.E— THE 8NIPE FAMILY. 41 



emaroination. The middle toe is not two thirds the leiif^th of 

 the tarsus, and about oqual to the bare portion of tlie tibia. 

 The bill is much pitted at the end in the dry skin. 



"In many respects this genus approaches the Snipe, and its 

 true place is probably very near Macrorh/i)iiphm. The legs, 

 however, are much longer, and equal to the bill, instead of much 

 shorter." ( Water B. N. Am.) 



Micropalama himantopus (Bonap.) 



STILT SANDPIPEK. 

 Popular synonyms. Long-leggeJ Siiudpiper: Frost Snipo (coast Connecticut). 

 Tringa himanloims Bonap. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ii, ISai. 157.— Sw. & Rich. F. B.-A. ii, 1831. 

 380.— AUD. Orn. Biog. ii, 1838, 332. pi. .BJ; Synop. 1839, 235; B. Am. v. Igl2. 271. pi. 334. 

 Tringa {Hemiiialamn) himantoims Bonap. 1827.— Nutt. Man. Ii, 183-1. 138. 

 Mivropalamalhimantopus'RtJS.T). B. N. Am. 1858. 726; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 536.— 

 COUES. Key. 1872, 253; Check List. 1874. No. 416; 2d ed. 1882, No, 611; Birds N. W. 

 1874. 480.— KiDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 528; Man. N. Am. B. 1887. 152.— B. B. & 

 R. Water B. N. Am. i. 1884, 201.— A. 0. U. Clieok List. 1886. No. 2.33. 

 Trinaa do>iglasii Sw. & Rich. F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 379. pi. 66. 



Tringa (Heminalarna) doiiglasii NuTT. Man. ii. 18.'M. 141. 

 Tringa [Hemipalama) aitdiiboni NuTT. 1. c. 141. 



Hab. Eastern Province of North America. Middle America, and greater part of South 

 America: breeding north of the United States and visiting the southern localities in 

 winter; Bermudas; West Indies, in gi'neral; Brazil; Peru. Not recorded from west of the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



Sp. Chab. Adult, summer plumage: Above, variegated with black, whitish gray, and 

 pale bulT. the first prevailing on the back and scapulars; wings rather dark gray, the 

 feathers edged with paler; primaries dusky slate; rump grayish, the feathers with darker 

 centres; upper tail-covers white, the longer ones barred, the anterior ones longitudinally 

 marked, with dU'^ky. Middle tail-feathers light gray, the others varied longitudinally with 

 white and pale gray. Pileum dusky, streaked with whitish; a dark brown loral stripe, from 

 base of maxilla to the eyes; auriculars and patch on each side of the occiput, light cinna- 

 mon-rufous. Lower parts dirty white, the throat and jugulum streaked, other portions 

 transversely barred with dusky. Lining of the wing, and axillars. white, the latter slightly 

 marked with gray. Adnll in winter: Above, uniform ash-grav, the upper tail-coverts, tail 

 and wings as in the summer plumiige. Superciliary stripe and lower parts white, the 

 jugulum, sides of neck, and crissum. streaked with gray. Young: Back and scapulars 

 blackish, all the feathers widely bordered with bufTy white; the middle of the back tinged 

 with rusty; wing-coverts bordered with pale buff and white; upper tail-oovorts nearly im- 

 maculate white. Pileum streaked with dusky, pale buff, and grayish; napo nearly uniform 

 ash-gray. Lower rarts soiled white, the breast and sides more or less strongly suffused 

 with buff, the jugulum. sides of the neck, and Hanks, indistinctly streaked with grayish. 

 "Bill black; iris brown; feet dull yellowish green, claws black." (Auddbon.) 



Wing about 5. 00-6.2B; oulmen. 1.50-1.75; tarsus. 1.50-1.75; middle toe. .80-.85. 



We have no data at hand regarding the abundance of thid 

 species in Illinois, but it is in all probability a more or less 

 common migrant. 



"It moves in compact fln( ks, ami often when about to alight, or 

 after being disturbed, it inclines the body to either side, showing 

 — G 



