SCOLUrACIU.E 



THE SNIPE FAMILV — TELIDNA. 



241 



Genus PELIDNA, Cuviek. 



Pelidna, Cuv. \{l%. An. 1817, 490 ; «!. 2, 1829, .'.2(! (type, Tringa alpina, Linn.). 

 Ancyloclicihis, Kaui', Sk. Ent. Eur. Tliici-w. 1829, 50 (type, Tringa subarqualu, Tf.m.m.). 



Char. Bill sIcikIct. lonj^er than tlie head, deep through the base, compressed, scarcely or not 

 at all c.Kiiauded at the tip, and decidedly decurved terminally. Tarsus shorter than the bill, longer 

 than the middle tue. Wings reaching beyond end of tail. 



P. alpina. 



The genns Pelirlna includes two well-known Sandpipers, both of which are common to North 

 America and Europe, although one of them, the Curlew Sandpiper (P. siibarquafa) can scarcely 

 be considered as more than a straggler here. The other is represented in the two continents by 

 distinguishable races. The character of the specie? and races of Pelidna are as follows : — 



1. P. alpiua. Upper tail-coverts du.sky. Adull in summer : Belly black, other lower parts whitish. 



Wilder plumage: No lilack beneath ; above, uniform brownish gray. Young : Belly ami 



breast .spotted with black. 

 a. Alpina. Wing, 4.30-4.75 ; culmen, 1.1.")- 1.40 ; tarsus, .85-1.00 ; middle toe, .70-.75. Hab. 



Europe. 

 j3. Americana. Wing, 4.{iO-4.!)5 ; culmen, 1.40-1.75 ; tareus, 1.00-1.15 ; middle toe, .70-.80. 



IF.ih. N<irth America. 



2. P. subarquata. Upper tail-coverts white. Adult in summer : Beneath, including belly, deep 



cinnamon-rufous. Winter plumage: Beneath, white, obsoletely streaked on the jugulum ; 

 above, brownish gray. Ymmg : Belly and breast unspotted. Hab. Palxarctic Region ; 

 occasional in Eastern and Northern North America. 



Pelidna alpina. 



a. Alpina. THE RED-BACKED SANDPIPER; DUNLIN. 



Tringa alpina, LiXN. S. N. ed. 10, 1758, 149 : ed. 12, 1766, 249 (based on Cindii.'! torquatus, Br.iss. 



Orn. V. 1760, 216, pi. 19, lig. 2). —Newt. Man. N. H. Greenl. 187.5, 103 (Greenland). 

 Pelidna alpina, RiDow. Proc. V. S. Nat. Mu.s. 1881, 200 ; Nom. N. Am. B. 1882, no. 539. — CouES, 



Check List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 623. 

 Tringa cindiis. Linn. S. N. I. 1766, 251 (based on Briss. Orn. V. 1760, 211, pi. 19, lig. 1). 

 " Tringa jiusilla, Gmel. S. N. L 1788, 663" (Gray). 

 Tringa nificoUis, Pai.i,. Reise, HI. 1776, 700. 

 N'umenius variabilis, Bechst. Naturg. Deutschl. IV. 141. 

 Pelidna f^chinzii, Breiim. (var. ?) Not of American writers. 

 VOL. I. — .31 



