SCOLOPACID.K — THE SXIPE FAMILY. 45 



This is another of the "maritime," or, more proper!}- littoral, 

 species, which visits the shore of Lake Micliig-an, iu Illinois. Mr. 

 Nelson says that it is a "very rare migrant during migra- 

 tions," and that "a fine adult male obtained on the Lake shore, 

 near Chicago, November 7th, 1871, is in the collection of Dr. J. 

 W. Velie. When first seen it was in company with a fiock of 

 Sanderhng-s." "This," adds Mr. Nelson, "is the only instance of 

 the occurrence of this species of which I have learned." 



StBGENiis Actodroiuas Kaup. 



Actodromas Kavf, Sk. Ent. Eur. Thierw. 1829,37. Type, Tringa minutoLEiSL. 

 Heterofiiigia Cooes. Proc. Phila. Acad. 1861, lai. Type, Tringa honaijartei Sohlkc..= 7' 



fuSCicoUis VlEILL. 



Leimonites Kaup, 1. c. Type, Tringa («mmmci'( Leisl. 



Delopygia CoUES, Proc. Phila. Acad. 1861, WO l=Heteroi>uaia)- 



Ceab. Size medium to very small (smallest of the family); form graceful, legs and bill 

 slender, the latter straight, and little, if any. longer than the tarsus. Tarsus decidedly 

 longer than the middle toe with its claw: toes slender, completely cleft. Wings long and 

 pointed, their ends when closed reaching beyond the tip of the tail. 



Although the species of this subgenus vary greatly in size, 

 they all agree very closely in the details of structure. Besides 

 the American species included in the following synoptical table, 

 there are several Old World Actodrouii, among which may be 

 named Tringa mimda Leisl., T. (hiindccnKlii (HousF.)*, and T. 

 atbewem, Temm., all nearly allied to, though quite distinct 

 from, our A. mmutilla. The American species may be distin- 

 guished as follows: 



A. Size large (wing more than 5.50). 



1. A. oooperi. Tail even, ihe middle feathers scarcely narrowed at the end, and not 

 projecting notably beyond the rest. Lower parts white, the jugulum, breast, and 

 sides longitudinally flecked with dusky. Above (In adult), brownish gray, the 

 feathers marked centrally with bla<-k, producing conspicuous spots on the back 

 and scapulars, .streaks elsewhere. Upper tall-coverts white, with irregular sagit- 

 tate marks of dusky. Wing, 5. HO; culmen. 1.35; tarsus, 1.20: middle toe, .80. JIab. 

 Long Island. 



B. Size medium (wing less than 6.50 and more than 1.00). 



2. A. fuBOiooUis. Tail as'ln A. cooiieri. but middle feathers slightly narrower at end 

 and more projecting. Colors of adult as in A. cnnperi, but more tinged with light 

 rufous on crown, back, and scaiiulars. Young: liaek and scapulars mixed black 

 and rusty, the feathers conspicuously bordered terminally with white; upiier tall- 

 coverts white. In marked contrast with the dusky rump; breast light grayish- 

 brown, streaked with dusky. Wing about I. "JO; culmen, .90-1.00; tarsus, .95-1.00; 

 middle toe, .70-. 75. JIab. Eafltern North America; South America in migrations. 



3. A. bairdii. Tail asin .4./«.icico'/i.i. Uiipor tail-covorta dusky, only the lateral ones 



whitish. Adult in snmmrr: Rack and seapnlars black. Irregularly variegated 

 (spotted and edged) with dull buff. Jugulum white, streaked with dusky. Adult 



This scecies has been taken in Alaska since the above was written. 



