382 SHORE BIRDS OF NOVA SCOTIA — GILPIN. 



palmated ; hind toe slight and inserted above the palm. In their 

 figures coloured they resemble each other in the well stained neck 

 and front, absence of ash and hoariness, and presence of ferrugi- 

 nous tints. Thus I must conclude that I have two species akin 

 in all but size, one ranging from five to five and a half inches,, 

 the other from seven and one-half to eight inches, both four- 

 toed and without webs. Richardson, under the species pusilla, 

 may mean the last one as well as Wilson, by the size. 



But amongst these flocks I found a third sand peep, which was 

 not only semi-palmated 7 but different in colour from the others. 

 Shot 5th Sept., 1881. Bay of Fundy :— 



Length, 6 inches. 



Spread of wing, 11 J inches. 



Length of tarsus, nearly 1 inch. 



Length of bill, 3^ inches. 

 Colour on back and top of head, shoulders and wing coverts 

 greyish, interspersed with black streaks and spots, spots more on 

 back and shoulders ; rump black, tail greyish, the upper and 

 lower tail coverts nearly as long as the tail. A small white streak 

 behind the eye, and spotted line of dusky from bill to eye ; 

 throat and all beneath white, bill black, legs black with olive 

 wash ; toes palmated, inner web smaller than outer. In com- 

 paring this species with those shot 20th Sept., and nearly of the 

 same dimensions, but not semi-palmated, we find no ferruginous 

 tints, rump not so black, breast whiter, and with very slightly 

 marked collar, colour of legs more olive. In this specimen the 

 shafts of both primaries and secondaries are white, also the tips 

 of the wing coverts. But upon the nonsemi-palmated, both 

 greater and less, we find the white bar upon the wing, broader, 

 and formed not only by the wing coverts, but also the primaries 

 and secondaries, as it was joined in the white mark. This bird 

 has come down to us " semi-palmatus," from Hutchins, Wilson. 

 Richardson, Nuttall, and Buonaparte ; yet Coues gives it as 

 pusillas, without giving his reasons. It certainly is the only 

 semi-palmatus I have found frequenting the Nova Scotia shores 

 in a study of years ; is very well marked, which shows more 

 when the coloured drawings of each are opposed to each other- 



