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216 



PR.ECOCIAL OnALLATOUES— LIMICOL.E. 



niarkiible rapidity. WlifU it stops it croufhes for a moiiu'Ut; aiul this luovemi'iit 

 occasions its Iwal uaiiu- oi ••Cioucliing-chickcii." Tlu' miuibcr visiting Trinidad is 

 not large. 



Till' Knot is regarded as an exculli-nt bird for the table, and its good (pialitics 

 have long lieen known; the name — as is said by Pennant — having been derived 

 from King Canute, or Knut. l>y whoiii its excellence was particularly appreciated. 



Gems ARQUATELLA, I^aikd. 



ArqiuiUlhn, D.viai*, 15. X. Am. Isuti, 717 ^typu Tringa marilima, BituxN.). 



Chau. Fonii Vfcrj- coniinact or roljust, the legs especially. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe 

 with claw, the latter two iliinl- to ihn-e fdurtlis as long as the Mil, which is slender, much com- 

 pressed, straight, or ver>- !>li;.'litly decurved at the end. Size nieiliuni (wing less than (i inches). 



By the characters given aUjve, this sjiecies may be very readily distinguished from Trhiija, the 

 nearest ally. The si>».i;ies "f Ari/iKitilla aie subject to seasonal changes of jilumage which have 

 been very iH!q)lexing to ondtholo^^ists, the summer and winter dress of the .same birtl being totally 

 unlike, while that of the youii^ is different still. 



Three s|iecies of thi^ genu,- lielon;.' to North .Vnierica. Auotlier species, the Tringa crassirostiLi, 

 Temm. & ScHLEG., of .):i{>an and o(iu-r parts of Eastern Asia, may belong to this genus, but we 

 have seen no specimen.*. 



The three si>ecic-s Wloiiging to our fauna may be distinguished as follows : — 



Com. Char. Summer ifof*: Iia<k and scapulars variegated black, rusty-ochraceous, or bull', 

 and buffy white, the fir-t in the fona of sliarply deliiied siiots occupying the central porti(;n of 

 each feather, the ni-ity or bulf foriiiing a wide external border, the whitish tla; tips of the feathers, 

 the latter colcjr sometimi.-' *can;ely present or altogether wanting. l{ump and upper tail-coverts 

 nearly uniform dusky ; Hiiig» dusky, the coverts bordeicd with whitish, the j^reater coverts tippcil 

 with the .same, and the iinier M-conilaries chiilly white. Lower parts chielly white, the breast 

 variegated with ilusky, llii» Mimetimes fonuing more or less of an irre^^-ular patch. ll'inkr 

 iduvuuje : .\bove nearly uidf<>iiii plinnljeous, the feathers of the back and scapulare darker cen- 

 trally, and showing faint piirplidi i-ellections in certain lights. Jugulum chiefly light plumbeous 

 or grayish, the feathers with whitish Ixuilers. 



1. A. maritima. Bm-.diinj ilasji: Pileum streaked with yellowish gray, or grayish white; 

 scapidars and interscapulars irrtgularly spotted and indented with dull but!', or whitish, and Ixir- 

 dered terminally with white ; foreiieck and jugulum distinctly streaked with dusky, the biea>t 

 dull grayish, every wliert *>|»otte«l with darker, irinter dress: Back and scapuLu's eooty black 

 strongly glossed with puqdish, the feathers bordered terminally with dark phunljeous gray; Jugu- 

 lum uniform mouse-gr.iy, or l»M>wiii>h plumbeous. YuitiKjfJirat iiltimiifju : Scapulars, interscapidars, 

 nnd wing-covert.s l<onlen,->l nith jale grayish buff, with little or none of ru.sty. Chick: Above 

 hair-brown, lighter and gniyer on the nape, the brown irregularly marbh'd with black, the wiiij,'s, 

 back, and rump thick!)- l)c~i<aM;;led with white downy ilecks ; head grayish white, tinged willi 

 fulvous, variously iuarke<l with black, the lores having two distinct longitudinal, nearly parallel 

 streaks; lower jKirt.s grayi.-li white, without fulvous tinge. Average measurements of 13 adults: 

 Wing, 5.00 ; culmcn, 1.2<» ; tarsus, .!><> ; middle toe, .90. Hah. Northeastern North America, 

 Europe, etc. 



2. A. CoaesL Breediwj <)rt*s : Pileum streaked with deep rusty ; scapulars nnd interscajjulars 

 broadly bordered with bright femiginous ; i'oreneck and jugulum irregidarly clouded with dull 

 pale buffer .soiled white and sooty jilumlteou.s, the breast more coarsely clouded, with more or les.s 

 of a black patch on each ."ide. Winter dress: Similar to A. maritima, but with the jdumbeous 

 borders to dors-il feathetn hniader and lighter, or more bluish, in tint ; jugulum streaketl or other- 

 wise varied with white. Young, firit plumwje : Scapulars and interscapulai's consi>icHously bonlercd 

 with bright nrsty, ochrati-<iU.«, and whitish ; wing-coverts broadly bordered with buffy white oi- 

 pale buff; hmsmt and sides Imffy white, distinctly streaked with dusky. Chiik: Above bright 



