scoLurAcin.!-: — TiiK sxipk family- IIKTKHOSCEI.US. 



289 



lit (.'qiiul size, Init dittVr in the muHt marked niiiiiiier as to tlieir f^iouml-colur, and also 

 ill the size and distiil)iitit)n of tlieir spots. The K''"i""l-eoloi' is usually a deep dnih, 

 witli a slij^ht rufous tinge ; oecasionally. instead of rufous, the shading is deeidedly 

 (iliva'HMMis; in a few instances, however, tin- ground is very light and liright grayish 

 wlii ith a slight tinge of green. The markings are usually of Instre; intermi.xed 

 with till' Itlotehes ol a purr shade are others washed over with the shadings of the 

 M;riiunil-eolor. giving them i; neutral or slate-enlored appearance. One egg (No. (mI), 

 collected at Cape Charle.H, Va., dune '», IS'Ki. lueasures li.OO inches by l.')l. It has 

 a dark rufous-drali ground, iiiaiked with hlotehes of liistre. These are .scattered 

 and few ahout the smaller end, i)iit unite in a c(uiHuent ring around the larger por- 

 tion. Another (No. IIT)) was sent me hy Mr. Andrew Dowiies. from Halifax, Nova 

 Scotia. It measures L'.K) imdies l)y l.ijO. Its ground is dral>, with a slight olivaeeou.s 

 tinge, and the Idotches urn more scattered, and nowhere conlluent, except on one sido 

 near the widest portion of the egg is a remarkahle comhiiiatioii of dark Idotches, 



l.OO inch by O.til. A third (No. 97(0 Uected at Cape Charles liy the Kcv. .1. N. 



.loiies, measures 2.10 inches by !.")(>. Its ground is a light gray — almost white — 

 with a deci(h'il bluish tinge. Its spots are small tine dottings of dark bistre. Except 

 ill shape, it has no resemblance to the usual egg t>i the Willet. 



•I 



Genvs HETEROSCELUS, Haikd. 



Ueteroscdua, Baiud, lUrds N. Am. IS.IS, 734 (tjiif, TvUinua bnvljun, Vikii.i,., =&'o/yj»«u! incuiiu, 



O.MF.I..). 



Char. Bill longer than liuad or tursus, stout, iiairli compressed ; conmiissure strnight to near 

 end, where gently dei'iirved ; culineu sliglitly concave in iiiiildle portion ; nasal groove extending 

 over liasal two-tliirds of hill. Tarsi short (alioiii eipial to middle toe), covered laterally aiicl hebind 

 by bexagonul scales, tbe naked part of tibia covered with siniilur scales ; (juter and middle toe con- 



■r to a 

 Its 

 I found 

 limong 

 lale in 

 their 

 I fouuu 



more 

 llarger 

 |'king.s 

 itions, 

 |at the 



learly 



H. incaniis. 



nected by a basiil web as far us first joint nf tbe latter, and a rudimentary web between middle and 

 inner toes ; bind toe long (nearly one third tbe tarsus). Tail half as long as wings, nearly even. 

 Plnmage j)erfectly uniform above, without .spots or bands of any kind. 



Tins very remarkable Sandpiper differs, in the hexagonal scutellation of the tibia and on the 

 posterior face of tbe tarsus, from any other of tbe Totanece. The bill is stronger than in any Ameri- 

 can :,'enus, except Symphemia, differing mainly from this in the straightness of the bill and greater 

 amonnt of inflection of the edges. Tbe nasal groove extends farther forwanl, and the upper jaw 

 is a little more decurved at the end. The gape is a little more deeply cleft. The legs, espe- 



V(JL. I. — 37 



m 



