SCOLOPACID.E — THE SNII'K FAMILY — ACTODI{0^rAS. 



236 



Its note is a low whist k', which is not often ropeatcd, except when tlic bird apprc- 

 licntls danger. This is known as the "Meadow Snipe" on Long Ishmd, and is also 

 (•;ilh'd the " Sliort-nct'k." It is (piitc coninion at Egg IIari)or. X. J., in the autumn, 

 and sonietitues remains tliere until Noveniljor; toward the latter part of the season 

 it is in excellent condition, (hi the sea-coast of .New Jersey it is known as the 

 •■ Kat-hird." it is found in its migrations in the interior of I'ennsylvania, and is there 

 also known as the "Jack Snipe." Stragglers also occur on Long Islaiul in the month 

 (li Jidy; but there is no rea.son to suppose that any breed there. In the a\itumn its 

 llish becomes very juicy and finely flavored, and when procured late in the .season it 

 is said to be superior to that of any of our shore-birds, and fully equal to any upland 

 game. 



This species has been taken several times in Great ISritain, wlu-re they occur as 

 stragglers only; they were shot in the months of May, Septend)er, and October, 

 According to Prince Charles IJonaparte, the Pectoral Sandpiper is found in lirazil 

 and at Montevideo, 



Xuttall states that in his day many lurds of this species were killed on the shores 

 of Cohas.sct and other parts of Massachusetts l>ay, where they arrived in flocks about 

 the end of August, and remained into Scpteud)er. While there they fed on small 

 coleoptera, larva-, and the common green f/lva Inflssimu, as well as on several species 

 of sea-weed. When startled, they uttered a low plaintive whistle. Like the Snipe, 

 it seems foiul of damj) meadows and marshes. 



IJeiidiardt includes this bird among those of Greenland on the authority of a 

 s|iecimeu taken in 1S.")1, and two in IS.")'.), at Nenortalik. Mr. B. Ross reports this 

 species c()mnu)n on the Mackenzii^ IJiver. 



It is not known to l)reed so far to the south as Labrador, Init makes its first ap- 

 ]icaranco there al)out tlu^ middle of August, in the course of its migrations southward. 

 Wherever founil, the "Grass Snipe," as it is called in Massachusetts, is seldom seen 

 on open sandy l)eaches, preferring low, wet inland meadows. When found near the 

 shore it fre(pients the uunhly Hats left bare i)y the re(!eding tide and the higher salt- 

 marshes. It has more of the habits of the Common Snipe than of the Tv'iiifjiv. As 

 it starts up suddenly fnun the ground in alarm, its zigzag flight is very Snipe-like, 

 and it is then ([uite as ditticult to shoot as is that bird. 



Nothing whatever is known about its breeding, either as to locality or manner. 

 It has been thought that this nuiy take place somewhere along the forty-ninth paral- 

 lel ; this is but a conjecture, not amounting to a probability. 



Actodromas acuminata. 



THE SHABP TAILED 8ANDPIFEB. 



Totanus acuminatus, HonsF. Linn. Trans. ,\'IIL 1821, 192. 



Trinrjancumimttn, ^wisw. P. Z. S. lSii3, :!1.^. ; Ibis, 18tW, 412. - Sciii.Eo. Mns. P.-P. Tringm, 38. 



Limnocinclit.1 acumiiialitu, Gr.AV, Ilnml-I. IIL l.s71, 40. 



Actodromas aciimiiicUa, liiniiw. Proc. V. H. X.it. Mus. 1881, 199, 222; Noin. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 



533. — focEs, fhpck List, 2(1 eil. 1882, no. 619. 

 Tritujaaustralis, Jaud. Illnstr. Orn. 11. pi. 91. 

 Schmiklna austral is, fi(iri.i), Hinls .\ustf. VL jil. 30. 

 Tringa ^•iifeswiis, Vox MinuENi). .Siliir. IJoisc, 221 (ncc Vieii.i,.). 



Had. Eastern Asia, migrating south to Australia, and iiortheastwanl to coast of Alaska (St. 

 Micliael's ; E. W. Xef-sox). 



Sp. Char. Adult: Above, brownish gi'ay, the feathers black centrally ; pileum cinnamon, in 

 marked contrast, and broadly streaked with black ; rump and middle upper tail-coverts brownish 



