8COLOPACID.K — THE SNU'K I'A.MILV — rillLOilELA. 



183 



Gkms PHILOHELA, (iKAv. 



Riisticolii, (JiiAV, (iciu'lii H. ISlOdicc Mdiiiiiiisii, 17;')'.'). 

 P/ii/iilirlil, (JitAY, List liuliriii, ISll (typo, Sodojinx iiiiiini; (iMKI-,), 

 Min-niili-ni, NriT. Mum. II. 1S:!I, l!ij {uir (iiiAVlAlKiiisr, ISO'2). 



Char. Hody very lull, ami lioail, Mil, aiiil oycs very hum: Tiliia nliort, fcathtTtMl to tlio joint. 

 Toes cli't't to liasc. Wiiij,'M Hhort, rdiiiulcil, tlic lUivv. outiT iniiiiarioH wry iiairow ami iniu'li attcim- 

 alcil ; thu loiirth ami lil'lli iMjnal ami loii^'fst. Taisi stout, slioitcr tliaii tlic iiiiilillu toe. Iliml 

 ihuv very short, conical, not e.\leu(liii,i,' lieyoiul tiut toe. Tail of twelve leathers. 





P minor. 



The present genus, embraein^' a siuL<le specie,^, the Anierioan Woodcock, is much like Scnlopax, 

 with the European Wootlcock as type, iu color ami external appearance. The most strikiiiij; diU'er- 

 ence is seen in the winj,'s, which are short, rounded ; tlie fourth and fifth in'imaries lonj,'est, and the 

 outer three ahruptly attenuated : wliile in Sailnpnx the \vinf,'s are lonj,', the tir.st primary lonj,'est, 

 and none attenuated. 



Fhilohela minor. 



THE AHEBICAN WOODCOCK. 



Scolopax minor, Gmei,. S. N. I. 1783, 661. — Wils. Am. Orn. VI. 1812, 40, pi. 18, lig. 2. — Aui). 

 Orn. Biof;. III. 1835, 474, pi. 208. 



Itiislio)la{Microj)ti'ru) Minor, Xurr. Man. II. 1834, 104. 



Phih>hcla minor, GiiAY, Genera B. 1849. — Cassis, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 709. — Baikd, Cot. 

 N. Am. 15. 1859, no. 522. — Coi-r.s, Kty. 1S72, 251, fig. 162; Check List, 1873, no. 412; 2d 

 oJ. 1882, no. 605 ; Birds N. W. 1874, 472. — liimiw. Xoin. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 525. 



Microptcra avicricana, Avu. Symtp. 1839, 250; B. Am. VI. 1843, 1."), pi. 352. 



Hab. Ea.stern Province of Nortii America, north to the British Provinces and west to Dakota, 

 Nebraska, and Kansas ; breedinj^ throuj,diout its known rant,'e ; no extra-Iimital record, except the 

 Bermudas. 



Downy young, ' 



Sp. Char. Bill long, compressed, punctulated and (in dried skins) corrugated near the end ; 

 upper mundible longer than the under, and fitted to it at the tip ; wings moderate, three outer 



