122 REPOET OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



Family SCOLOPACID^E. 



THE SNIPE AND SANDPIPERS. 



Long-billed, usually long-legged, birds which secure their food by 

 probing in the soft mud or sand of the sea shores. The great majority 

 of the species nest in the far north, and are familiar to us as coast 

 migrants, occurring in mixed flocks or flights in spring, late summer 

 and autumn. They have been much shot for game, with the result 

 that they have been greatly reduced in numbers, and some species 

 threatened with extermination. 



a. Bill, 2.15-6.25. 



6. Curved downward at tip. 



c. Bill, 5-8. LONG-BILLED CURLEW, p. 140 



cc. Bill, 3-4. HUDSONIAN CURLEW, p. 141 



ceo. Bill, 2.25-2.50. . ESKIMO CURLEW, p. 142 



66. Slightly upturned at tip. 



c. Tail barred black and rusty. MARBLED GODWIT, p. 133 



cc. Tail black with white band at base. HUDSONIAN GODWIT, p. 134 

 666. Bill, straight. 



c. Under parts uniform rufous. WOODCOCK, p. 124 



cc. Under parts rufous, barred with black. 



EUROPEAN WOODCOCK, p. 123 



ceo. Under parts rufous, spotted with black. DOWITCHER, p. 126 

 cccc. Under parts white, more or less barred or streaked on breast 

 and flanks. 



d. Wing over 7. 



e. Base of primaries white. WILLET, p. 137 



ee. Base of primaries not white. 



GREATER YELLOW-LEGS, p. 135 

 dd. Wing less than 6. 



e. Tail black, with a subterminal rusty bar. 



WILSON'S SNIPE, p. 125 

 ee. Tail transversely banded, black and white. 



DOWITCHER (autumn), p. 126 

 aa. Bill, .75-1.50. 



6. Throat and breast rufous or dull buff. 



c. Wing, 6.50 or over. KNOT, p. 127 



cc. Wing, 5.50 or less. 



d. Under side of primaries finely vermiculated, black and 

 white. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, p. 139 



dd. Under side of primaries uniform. 



CURLEW SANDPIPER, p. 131 



66. Entire under parts barred black and white (streaked on the throat) 

 and tinged with rusty. STILT SANDPIPER, p. 127 



666. Entire under parts white with round black spots. 



SPOTTED SANDPIPER, p. 140 

 6666. Entire under parts black, except crissum. 



BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, p. 143 



