BIRDS OF NEW YORK 



293 



ash, paler on the nimp; upper tail coverts and tail marbled white and 

 grayish; under parts white, the foreneck and breast washed with vinaceous 

 buff and the sides flushed with the same; bill and feet black; eyes brown. 

 Male: Smaller; color pattern similar, but much duller than female, and 

 browner above. Winter plumage: Above light grayish, the feathers 

 edged narrowly with whitish ; some scattered blackish feathers ; lores, stri])e 

 on side of head, and whole under parts white. Young before the winter 

 molt: Upper parts brownish black, the feathers margined with a rusty 

 brown, resembling a Pectoral sandpiper; line over eye, upper tail coverts 

 and under parts white, the breast tinged with rusty; feet yellowish. 



Length 8.25-9.5 inches; extent 15-16; wing 4.75-5.32; tail 2.25; tarsus 

 1.33; middle toe and claw 1.12; bill 1.33. Smaller dimensions are of males. 

 Young: Bill i.i; tarsus 1.2. 



The Wilson phalarope is a nearctic species, inhabiting the interior 

 of the United States and Canada north to the Saskatchewan and Hudson 

 bay, and wintering from Texas to Patagonia. New York lies out of the 

 normal migration route of this species and it occurs only as an occasional 

 transient as follows; 



Buffalo, N. Y. Very rare. DeKay, Zool. N. Y. 1844. 2: 270 

 Long Island. Few occur. Giraud, Birds of Long Island. 1844. p. 247 

 South Bay, L. I. L. I. Hist. Soc. Col. (3 specimens) 

 Rockawav, L. I. Oct. 3, 1872. Lawrence, Forest and Stream, 10: 235 

 Long Island, N. Y. Oct. 10, 1874. N. T. Lawrence, Auk, 2: 273 

 Penn Yan, N. Y. (Gilbert). Birds Cent. N. Y., p. 30 

 East river, N. Y. Oct. 15, 1879. N. T. Lawrence, Auk, 2: 273 

 Murray, Orleans cc, N. Y. Sept. 1882. David Bruce 

 Shinnecock bay, L. I. Aug. 20, 1883. Dutchcr, Auk, i: 33 

 Oneida Lake, N. Y. Oct. 6, 1883. (Barnum). Ralph & Bagg List, 112 

 Western New York. Oc. in fall. Langille, Our Birds in their Haunts. 1884 

 Atlanticvillc, Suffolk co. About Aug. 15, 1885. (G. W. Howell). Auk, 3: 436 

 Onondaga lake, N. Y. Sept. 2, 1886. C. P. Moxon 

 Moriches, L. I. June i, 1887. Lawrence Collection, 3247 

 Shinnecock bay, L. I. Sept. 13, 15, 1887. Butcher, Auk, 5: 177 

 Carmel, Putnam co., N. Y. About 1890. W. A. Mead 

 Seaford, L. I. Fall 1890. (Wilson). Butcher, Long Island Notes 

 Ithaca, N. Y. Fall 1892. Juvenal. L. A. Fuertes Collection 



Family FiECURVIROSTRIDAE 



Avocets 



Bill lengthened, flattened, rectirved and much attenuated and acute; 

 legs very long, with hexagonal plates ; front toes webbed ; hind toes short and 

 free ; plumage thick and ducklike ; wings rather short ; tail short and square. 



