162 ElDGWAY on a new Alaskan Sandpiper. 



the foreneck is also invariably squamated or streaked with white, 

 and not uniform mouse-gray, as in vmritima. It is still more nearlv 

 related to A. ptilocnemis, Cones, of the Prybilov Islands, but aver- 

 ages much smaller and is always very much darker-colored in every 

 stage of plumage. The three are not only strictly congeneric, but 

 are very probably the descendants of one original stock ; but, since 

 no intermediate specimens have been observed in a large series of 

 each kind, they may be considered as having passed the " varietal 

 stage," so that we may treat them as distinct species. Both Mr. 

 Harting and Dr. Cones were wrong in referring A. ptilocnemis to 

 the same group as Pelidna alpuia, which bears only a superficial 

 resemblance in coloration, the details of form being quite different. 



While I have been unable to find any name which can be applied 

 to this species, it appeal's that Pallas refers to it in his description 

 of Tringa arquatella, in " Zoogr. Rosso- Asiat.," II, p. 190, since he 

 says that specimens of his species from the Kurile Islands are 

 marked with rusty yellow, as in the bird under consideration : " Cor- 

 pus suj)ra plumis fuscis, margine pallidis {in C'nrilica ave ferrugineo- 

 luteis) .... pectore cinerasccns (in curilica var. lutescens).'" It 

 remains to be proven, however, that A. couesi extends to the Kuriles, 

 although it doubtless does. All Alaskan references to Tringa ma- 

 ritiina of course apply to the. present species. 



I give below the comparative characters of ^. maritima, A. couesi, 

 and A. ptilocnemis: — 



1. A. maritima. Breeding dress: Plleum streaked with yellowish- 

 gray, or grayish-white ; scapulars and interscapulars irregularly spotted 

 and indented with dull buff, or whitish, and bordered terminally with 

 white ; foreneck and jugulum distinctly streaked with dusky, the breast 

 dull grayish, everywhere spotted with darker. Winter dress : Back and 

 scapulars sooty black strongly glossed with purplish, the feathers bordered 

 terminally with dark plumbeous-gray ; jugulum uniform mouse-gray, or 

 brownish plumbeous. Young, first plumage : Scapulars, interscapulars, and 

 wing-coverts bordered with pale grayish-buff, with little or none of rusty. 

 Chick : Above hair-brown, lighter and grayer on the nape, the brown 

 irregularly marbled with black, the wings, back, and rump thickly be- 

 spangled with white downy flecks ; head grayish-white, tinged with ful- 

 vous, variously marked with black, the lores having two distinct longitu- 

 dinal, nearly parallel streaks ; lower parts grayish-white, without fulvous 

 tinge. Average measurements of 13 adults: Wing, 5.06; culmen, 1.20; 

 tarsus, 0.99; middle toe, 0.90. Hab., Northeastern North America, 

 Europe, etc. 



