248 SNIPES AND SANDPIPERS 



Eggs, 4, not distinguishable from those of the preceding species. Date, 

 St. Michael's, Alaska, May 23. 



This is a bird of the interior and Western States, and occurs on OUT 

 coasts as a rare but regular late fall migrant. It resembles the pre- 

 ceding species in habits, but the baymen who 'gun' for Snipe say 

 they can recognize it by its somewhat different notes. Like the Wood- 

 cock, Wilson's Snipe, and its near ally, M. g. griseus, the male utters a 

 flight song in the nesting season. It is well described by Mr. E. W. 

 Nelson in his Report on Collections made in Alaska, p. 101. 



233. Micropalama himantopus (Bonap.). STILT SANDPIPER. Ads. 

 in summer. Upperparts black, bordered with grayish and buffy; ear- 

 coverts and an indistinct line around back of head rufous; secondaries gray- 

 ish, edged with white; primaries fuscous; rump ashy; upper tail-coverts 

 barred with black and white; outer tail-feathers with broken dusky bars, 

 inner ones with central streaks or margins of brownish gray or white ; under- 

 parts white, heavily barred with fuscous. Ads. and Juv. in winter. Upper- 

 parts brownish gray; upper tail-coverts white; tail white, margined with 

 brownish gray; underparts white; throat, neck and sides indistinctly streaked 

 or washed with grayish. Juv. Similar, but upperparts blackish, margined 

 with ochraceous-buff. L., 8*25; W., 5'00; Tar., 1'60; B., 1*55. 



Remarks. The distinguishing characters of this species are the flattened, 

 pitted tip of the bill, in connection with the very long tarsi. 



Range. N. and S. A. Breeds near the coast of Mackenzie and probably 

 s. to cen. Keewatin; winters in S. A. s. to Uruguay and Chile; casual in 

 winter in s. Tex., and Mex. ; in migration occurs in w. Miss. Valley, West 

 Indies, and Cen. Am. ; less common on the Atlantic coast, and casual in B. 

 C., N. F. and Bermuda. 



Washington, casual, one record, Sept. Long Island, not uncommon T. 

 V., May; July to Oct. 10 (Butcher). SE. Minn., uncommon T. V., May 14- 

 Aug. 20. 



Eggs, 3-4, pale grayish buff, or grayish buffy white, boldly spotted with 

 rich vandyke-brown and purplish gray, 1*42 x 1*00 (Ridgw.). Date, Ander- 

 son River, Mack., June 23. 



Colonel N. S. Goss, in his admirable "Birds of Kansas," writes that 

 he has observed this species along the edges of old channels of rivers 

 or muddy pools of water, in which it wades while feeding; immersing 

 the head and feeling with its sensitive bill in the thin mud for food. 

 It moves about rather slowly as compared with the true Sandpipers, 

 and at times will try to avoid detection by squatting close to the 

 ground, flying only as a last resort, and then darting swiftly away 

 with a sharp tweet, tweet. 



234. Tringa canutus Linn. KNOT. (See Figs. 426, 436.) Ads. 

 in summer. Upperparts barred and streaked with black and white and 

 rufous; tail ashy gray, narrowly margined with whitish; underparts dull 

 rufous; lower belly white or whitish, sides sometimes with black bars. (See 

 Auk, X, 1893, p. 25.) Ads. and Juv. in winter. Upperparts plain brownish 

 gray; upper tail -coverts barred with black and white, tail brownish 

 gray; breast and sides barred with black, belly white. Juv. Upperparts 

 pale brownish gray; head streaked with blackish; back, wing-coverts, and 

 scapulars with distinct black and white borders; upper tail -coverts barred 

 with blackish; tail ashy gray, narrowly margined with white; underparts 

 white; breast finely streaked or spotted with blackish; flanks barred or 

 streaked with blackish. L M 10'50; W., 6*75; Tar., T20; B., 1'30. 



