SCOLOPACID^ — THE SNIPE FAMILY — ACTODROMAS. 233 



washed with light rufous or rusty ochraceous ; the feathers bhick centrally, prddiicing conspicuous 

 streaks, which widen into spots on the scapulars and back ; rump and middle njjper tail-coverts 

 brownisli black ; lateral upjier tail-coverts white, with dusky shaft-streaks. Miitdle tail-fealliers 

 dusky, edged with lighter ; other rectrices pale brownish gray, bordered with white. VVing-cciverls 

 light grayish brown, with j)aler borders and darker centres ; a light superciliary stripe, an<l a 

 darker loral one. Checks, sides of the neck, whole juguluni, and breast, pale clay-color or light 

 grayish bull', streaked with dusky ; sides sparsely streaked. Remaining lower parts immaculate 

 white. "Basal half of liiU (lull greenish yellow" (Nelson, MS.). Adult in winter : Similar to 

 snminer plumage, but the rusty tint above almost or wholly absent, and the black markii]gs less 

 sharply defined. Young, first plumage: Quite similar to the summer adult, but the scapulars and 

 outer interscapulars conspicuonsly tipped e.\ternally with white, the breast, etc., more distinctly 

 bulf, and rather more narrowly streaked. 



Total length, about !).()() indies; wing, about .'5.00; culnuii, 1.10; tarsus, 1.00-1. 10; middle 

 toe, .90. 



Tlie history of this bird is very imperfectly known. During its s(^asons of 

 migration it is quite abundant, both on the sea-coast and in the interior, about the 

 borders of ponds and tlie shores of lakes and rivers. As to its distribution during 

 the breeding-season, we have no positive information. Solitary individuals have been 

 observed by Mr. Kumlieii about Lake Koskonoug during the sunnner, and at first he 

 supposed they were breeding; but as no nests were found, it is supposed that these 

 individuals were only unmated birds. This species has also been observed in the 

 vidnity of Boston late in -luly, in company with the ndnutilla ; but it is impossible 

 to determine whether tlie birds thus seen were immature, or such as had thus early 

 completed the duties of incubation. It is comparatively rare on the Pacific coast. A 

 single specimen was collected at Sitka by Bischoff, and Dall speaks of it as not uncom- 

 mon at Plover Bay, Silxu-ia; but it was not noticed by him on the Aleutian Islands. 

 Dr. ('oopcr lias met witii none on the (.'alifoniia coast, but states that they have been 

 taken at Puget Sound ; and as they visit South America, he thinks that they must 

 occasionally be found on the southern coast of California: but this is jiurcly conjec- 

 tural. It was taken at Fort Simiison by Mr. B. R. Ross, at Fort Anderson by Mr. 

 MacFarlane, and at Fort Resolution by Mr. Kennicott. 



In the winter this bird visits the West Indies, Central America, where it is very 

 abundant, as well as various portions of South America. Mr. Salvin states that 

 about the beginning of April, and toward the end of the dry season, a great portion 

 of the stream is diverted from the River Guacalate aud thrown on the open pasture- 

 land near Duefias, in Guatemala. During this period large numbers of Scolopaeidce 

 frequent the inundated region; of these the present species of Wader is by far the 

 most abundant. At this season, as it thus takes its food from fresh water, it is excel- 

 lent eating. Mr. Edward Newton speaks of having occasionally met with this bird, 

 after September 14, at St. Croix, where he obtained several examples. lie did not 

 at any time see more than two of them together. Leotaud gives this species as one 

 of the migratory visitants of Trinidad, whither it goes in August, rcuiaining into 

 October. It is always found in flocks, and frequents the low meadows rather than 

 the searshore. It is often seen to crouch on the ground, and is known on the island 

 as the "crouching shore-bird." "Not unfrequently, it is seen acconipauying a number 

 of the canutus, the latter seeming to act as its guides. 



Mr. N. B. Moore procured several examples of this species in the Bahamas as 

 early as August 5. In South America its occurrence has been noted even as far 

 south as Patagonia. Mr. H. Durnford ("Ibis," 1877) found it abundant in the Chupat 

 Valley, where he saw large flocks of this bird about the salt lagoon to the north of 

 the village, and also on the sandy flats at the mouth of the river. In their movement 



VOL. I. — 30 



