204 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 



towards Actodromas, rather than to Tringa, and that A. Bonapartei is its nearest 

 ally. While the actual proportions of the bill, tarsus, and toe of Tringa are 

 preserved, the difference in length of the bill over the tarsus, and of the latter 

 over the middle toe, is very trifling, and in the latter case, moreover, it is pro- 

 duced by a slight lengthening of the tarsus rather than by any shortening or 

 stoutening of the toes, which are long, slender, and slightly margined as in 

 Actodromas proper. The claws are all long, slender, and slightly curved, while 

 exactly the reverse is the case with Tringa. The tibiae are bare for a consider- 

 ably greater extent, and the tibial feathers short. In the adults of Tringa these 

 reach nearly to the joint. In the slight (though decided) double emargination 

 of the tail, with its central feathers, but little different from the lateral, and in 

 the pattern of the rump and upper tail coverts, there is shown a near approach 

 to Tringa. The primaries are as in Tringa, but the elongated tertials are those 

 of Actodromas. The stoutness of the bill and the position of the nostrils, are 

 intermediate between the two, but the encroachment of the feathers is exactly 

 that of A. Bonapartei. The coloration of the upper parts, except of the rump, 

 is almost identical with that of Bonapartei, and that of the lower much nearer 

 to it than to the adult T. canutus. 



From the above considerations, eppecially in reference to the indications af- 

 forded by the legs, always important among the Tringece, we cannot but con- 

 clude that the bird is Actodromas, rather than a true Tringa. Still we should 

 hardly have ventured to change it from the position assigned by such high au- 

 thority, had not Prof. Baird, in an attentive reexamination of the characters 

 of the bird, acquiesced in our views, and expressed his entire approval of the 

 course pursued. 



In view of the many peculiarities presented, it might perhaps have been ad- 

 visable to consider the present bird, instead of the A. Bonapartei as typical of 

 Heteropygia. But as the two are very closely allied, and both subgenerically 

 distinct from Actodromas proper, we have preferred to give the common and 

 well known bird as the type. 



The subject of the present article, is, with a single exception, we believe, the 

 ouly known specimen of this excessively rare species. It is fortunately adult, 

 having been taken in May. The changes of plumage it undergoes, and the 

 extent of the variation to which it is subject, cannot therefore be given. They 

 are, however, in all probability parallel with those of A. Bonapartei. 



" It is possible that this species may have been previously indicated under 

 some of the names quoted as synonyms, such as Tringa noveboracensis, Ac., 

 although, from the brevity of the descriptions, it is impossible to determine 

 this point satisfactorily." (BAIRD.) 



Having thus passed in review the species of Tringece well ascertained to in- 

 habit North America, it may be well to notice those attributed by authors to 

 that country. As far as I am able to ascertain they are the following : 



ACTODROMAS MINDTA Kaup. 



Tringa pusilla, Meyer. (Nee Linn. ; nee Bechst. ; nee Wils.) 

 Tringa minuta, Leisler. Swainson, F. B. A. 1831, ii. 385. Nuttall, Manual, 

 1834, ii. 119. 



It is not impossible that this species should occur in North America, or that 

 there should exist a " Pigmy" Sandpiper distinct both from the A. minutilla 

 and the European species. Observation, however, does not as yet warrant the 

 belief that such is the case. 



ACTODROMAS TEMMINCKII Bon. 

 Tringa pusilla, Bechstein. (Nee Linn. ; nee Meyer ; nee Wils.) 



