PHILOMELA MINOR. 873 



ago and the other was taken at Magnolia on the nineteenth of September, 1SOO; another 

 was shot near the same jil.-irr shortly after. Both of these latter named specimens were run- 

 ning along the bonier of a small, fresh water pond situated near the shore. Out of the 

 large number of small Phalaropes seen oil' the coast, it is possible that some may pnne to 

 be of this species. The Red Pbalaropes appear lobe much more maritime than the others, 

 seldom being found in the interior. They breed in the Arctic Zone, like all Phalaropes, 

 placing the eggs on (lie ground. The males of this and the preceding species are said to 

 be duller in color than the females and to perform the duties of incubation. 



FAMILY V. SCOLOPACID^E. THE SNIPES, ETC. 



Bill, variable in length but grooved throughout, and covered with a soft skin at tip. 

 Marginal indentations, two or four. 



This is a large family and, like all the present order, the members present quite va- 

 riable characters; thus it is- exceedingly ditlicult to find any one peculiarity possessed by 

 all the genera. The bill is either greatly lengthened or shorter than the head and is much 

 curved, straight, or even recurved. The stomach is muscular or soft, with a large or small 

 proventriculus. The intestines are small and long or large and short. Coeca, long or near- 

 ly rudimentary. The laryngeal muscles are variable. The above given characters repre- 

 sent the extremes, while there are every possible gradation between the two limits, and 

 other peculiarities of form, which are given under generic and specific characters. 



GENTS I. PHILOMELA. THE WOODCOCKS. 



GKX. Cu. Bill, lest than twice the length of the head which is rather larye. Leys, short, with tibia feathered to tarsal 

 joint. Three outrr frat/irrs of /irimaries. attenuated. K?cl, fipial in heiyht to width of sternum. Maryinal indentations , 

 Iwii, small Corarnids, somewhat cxceediny in lenyth the heiyht of keel. 



Tin- st'iiiai-h is oval in form and quite muscular, with a Marl, rugose membrane. The proventriculus is large. The 

 M.-S ;\re small but long and the coeca very short. Sterno-treachealis, quite stout. Bronchialis, quite well developed 

 and t H ira*'l lis, extending over two half rings, while a singular accessory muscle which i~ mem- 



branous, emerges from the lower portion of the trachea and spreading triangularly adheres to the bronchial* above, and 

 lieli'W, tu the rudimentary manubrium. Tympaniform membrane, present but there is no us transversale. Sexes, .similar. 

 There is but one species within our limits, which is more or less nocturnal. 



PHILOHELA MINOR. 



American Woodcock. 

 Philehela minor GKAV, List Genera; 1841. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CD. Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, fleshy, long, thin, and slender, narrowing townrd tip which is point- 

 ed but not horny. Sternum, stout. 



COLOR. Adult. Above, ashy-brown, irregularly banded with yellowish-rufous, mottled on the back with anhy, and 

 coarsely marked wit'i dark velvety-brown. Line from bill to eye. short line on ear coverts, top of IK -m hind tail, dark-brown, 

 with the two latter banded with yellowish-rufous and the tail is tipped with ashy alive and white beneath, r'omhcsid >> 

 eye, ashy. Sides of head and under parts, reddish-buff, palest centrally, and tinged with ashy on neck. Under tail eov- 

 ITI-. streaked with Mack and tipped with white. 



Youny. Quite .similar to the adult but much more richly colored below and darker above, where the dark niarkm.- 

 are rather irregular. 



Nfitlinys. Are covered with a reddish-buff down, marked above with very dark-brown much as in the adult. Bill, 

 feet, and iris, brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Readily known by the three peculiarly attenuated outer priinaries,form,audcolorsasdescribed. Distributed in sum- 

 mer, throughout Eastern North America; wintering in the Soulh. 



