1^02 PR.ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL.E. 



featliers li<,'ht gray, the others varied longitudinally with white and pale gray. Pileum dusky, 

 streaked witli whitish ; a dark-brown loral stripe, from base of maxilla to the eyes ; auriculars and 

 patch on each side the occiput, light cinnamon-rufous. Lower parts dirty white, the throat and 

 jugulum streaked, other portions transversely barred with dusky. Lining of the wing, and axillars, 

 white, the latter slightly marked with gray. Adult in winter: Above, uniform ash-gray, the upper 

 tail-coverts, tail, and wings, only, as in the summer plumage. Superciliary stripe and lower parts 

 wlute, the jugulum, sides of the neck, and crissum, streaked with gray. Young: Back and scap- 

 ulars Ijlackish, all the feathers widely bordered with buffy white, the middle of the back tinged 

 with rnsty ; wing-coverts bordered with pale buff and white ; u^iper tail-coverts nearly immaculate 

 A^liite. Pileum streaked with dusky, pale buff, and grayish ; nape nearly uniform ash-gray. 

 Lower parts soiled white, the breast and sides more or less strongly suffused with buff, the jugu- 

 lum, sides of the neck, and flanks, indistinctly streaked with grayish. "Bill Ijlack ; iris brown ; 

 feet dull yellowish green, claws black" (Audubos). 



Wing, about 5.00-5.25; culmen, 1-50-1.75 ; tarsu.s, 1.50-1.75 ; nuddle toe, .80-.85. 



The Stilt Sandpiper, once regarded as a very rare species, has withiu a few years 

 been found to be far from uncommon in different jjarts of the country. It has not 

 been met with, that I am aware, on any portion of the Pacific coast north of Central 

 America ; a single individual only was observed by Jlr. Salvin in Guatemala. This 

 was taken in the interior, near Diienas, from among a flock of Actodromas m.aculata, 

 in April. According to Major T\"edderburn. it occasionally occurs in Bermuda ; and 

 i\Ir. N. B. Moore mentions procuring four specimens of this species on one of the 

 Bahamas as early as August 5. It visits in winter the West Indies and a large part 

 of South America to Brazil and Peru. 



In New England — ■ where it has not been recognized as occurring at all till within 

 a few years — it is of irregular appearance in the sitmmer and fall, but is not known 

 to occur in its spring migrations. It has been seen along the coast of Massachusetts, 

 New Hampshire, and Maine, west of Portland ; ' but not in the interior. A single 

 specimen has been taken on Nantucket, and one reported from Cape Cod. It is only 

 occasionally met with, usually singly, or in pairs, and generally in company with 

 Tofanus fuvlpes. It is an occasional straggler rather than a regular migrant, and 

 only very rarely known to appear in flocks, or even in family groups, bttt usually has 

 the air of having wandered off in company with non-kindred species. They evidently 

 move in a due south course, leaving our shores at Buzzard's Bay over the open sea, 

 and some of them reaching the "West Irulia Islands early in August. Two instances 

 are recorded of the eaj^ture of this bird in Massachusetts as early as July 24 ; others 

 were taken as late as September 29. 



Mr. Lawrence records the obtaining of a single specimen at San Mateo, Mexico, in 

 February, 1869. Professor Snow mentions it as a rare migrant in Kansas, his only 

 record of its occurrence there being three specimens taken near Lawrence in Septem- 

 ber, 1874, by Mr. William Osburn. Dr. Merrill records it as occurring in the Kio 

 Grande region, on Oct. 13, 1877. Mr. J. Dwiglit, Jr., mentions meeting with it on the 

 Jersey coast at Squam Beach. Out of ten examjiles all were single birds except three, 

 showing the straggling character of its movements. Mr. N. T. Lawrence speaks of 

 this species as being not itncommon on the south side of Long Island, where it was 

 seen in parties of from three to five. Two in adult breeding-jilumage were taken in 

 July ; all the others, in the fall plumage, in September. ]\[r. George N. Lawrence 

 informs us that on one occasion, at Eockaway, there was a large flight of this species 

 and of Totiinus Jfavipes, the latter being the more abundant. Six Stilt Sandpipers 

 were killed at a single shot ; he never saw so many together at any other time. 



1 Jlr. M. Chambprlain hns recently reconU-d its cajiture in New P>ruuswick. — J. A. A. 



