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  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  or 
  rufous 
  on 
  the 
  under 
  parts. 
  The 
  white 
  rump 
  and 
  barred 
  tail 
  combined 
  

   with 
  its 
  size 
  and 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  its 
  bill 
  serve 
  to 
  distinguish 
  the 
  Dowitcher 
  

   from 
  other 
  shore 
  birds. 
  It 
  is 
  more 
  gregarious 
  than 
  the 
  Wilson 
  snipe 
  and 
  

   also 
  more 
  of 
  a 
  beach 
  bird. 
  

  

  Distribution 
  and 
  migration. 
  The 
  Dowitcher 
  breeds 
  in 
  the 
  arctic 
  

   region 
  of 
  eastern 
  North 
  America 
  and 
  passes 
  the 
  winter 
  from 
  the 
  gulf 
  coast 
  

   to 
  South 
  Ainerica. 
  In 
  New 
  York 
  it 
  is 
  chiefly 
  confined 
  to 
  the 
  shores 
  of 
  

   Long 
  Island 
  where 
  it 
  was 
  fonnerl}- 
  an 
  abundant 
  migrant, 
  passing 
  north- 
  

   ward 
  from 
  the 
  25th 
  of 
  April, 
  or 
  the 
  9th 
  of 
  May, 
  to 
  the 
  30th 
  of 
  May, 
  or 
  the 
  

   12th 
  of 
  June, 
  and 
  returning 
  to 
  its 
  winter 
  quarters 
  froin 
  July 
  12th 
  or 
  20th, 
  

   to 
  September 
  8th 
  or 
  15th. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  now 
  much 
  less 
  common 
  than 
  it 
  was 
  20 
  years 
  ago, 
  due 
  mostly 
  to 
  

   spring 
  shooting 
  and 
  reckless 
  slaughter 
  by 
  the 
  gunners, 
  who 
  often 
  destroy 
  

   entire 
  flocks 
  that 
  have 
  bunched 
  among 
  their 
  decoys, 
  without 
  leaving 
  a 
  

  

  Dowitcher. 
  Macrorhamphus 
  griseus 
  (Gmclin) 
  Long-billed 
  dowitcher. 
  M. 
  s 
  c 
  o 
  1 
  o 
  p 
  a 
  c 
  e 
  u 
  s 
  (Say) 
  

  

  From 
  specimens 
  in 
  State 
  Museum 
  and 
  Forest, 
  Fish 
  and 
  Game 
  Commission 
  collections. 
  ? 
  nat. 
  size 
  

  

  