﻿330 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  Catoptrophorus 
  semipalmatus 
  inornatus 
  Brewster 
  

  

  Western 
  Willet 
  

  

  Description. 
  This 
  western 
  representative 
  of 
  the 
  Willet 
  is 
  larger 
  than 
  the 
  Atlantic 
  coast 
  bird, 
  

   with 
  a 
  longer 
  and 
  more 
  slender 
  bill, 
  and 
  less 
  heavily 
  marked 
  on 
  the 
  under 
  parts 
  in 
  summer 
  plumage. 
  

   In 
  winter 
  plumage 
  the 
  dimensions 
  are 
  the 
  only 
  means 
  of 
  distinction. 
  Wing 
  8-9 
  inches; 
  tarsus 
  

   2.6-2.85; 
  bill 
  2.25-2.75. 
  

  

  The 
  Western 
  willet 
  has 
  never 
  been 
  definitely 
  recorded 
  for 
  New 
  York, 
  but 
  may 
  occur 
  here, 
  espe- 
  

   cially 
  in 
  the 
  Great 
  Lakes 
  region. 
  

  

  Pavoncella 
  pugnax 
  (Linnaeus) 
  

  

  Ruff 
  

  

  Tringa 
  pugnax 
  Linnaeus. 
  Syst. 
  Nat. 
  Ed. 
  10. 
  1758. 
  1:145 
  

  

  P 
  a 
  V 
  o'n 
  c 
  e 
  11 
  a 
  pugnax 
  A. 
  O. 
  tl. 
  Check 
  List. 
  Ed. 
  2. 
  1895. 
  No. 
  (260) 
  

  

  pavoncel'la, 
  Lat. 
  diminutive 
  of 
  pavo, 
  peacock; 
  pug'nax, 
  Lat., 
  pugnacious 
  

  

  Description. 
  Bill 
  nearly 
  straight, 
  grooved 
  nearly 
  to 
  tip, 
  rather 
  broad; 
  

   legs 
  slender; 
  tarsus 
  il 
  times 
  middle 
  toe; 
  basal 
  web 
  between 
  outer 
  and 
  

   middle 
  toes, 
  inner 
  toe 
  free; 
  tail 
  rather 
  long, 
  distinctly 
  barred. 
  Alale 
  in 
  

   breeding 
  plumage: 
  Face 
  without 
  feathers, 
  papillate; 
  a 
  long 
  tuft 
  of 
  feathers 
  

   extending 
  backward 
  on 
  each 
  side 
  of 
  head, 
  foreneck 
  also 
  furnished 
  with 
  a 
  

   broad 
  ruff, 
  the 
  tufts 
  and 
  ruff 
  being 
  differently 
  colored 
  in 
  nearly 
  every 
  

   specimen; 
  general 
  plumage 
  varied 
  with 
  ash 
  brown, 
  black, 
  ocherous 
  and 
  

   white. 
  Winter 
  plumage: 
  Face 
  feathered, 
  tufts 
  and 
  ruff 
  wanting; 
  under 
  

   parts 
  pale 
  buff; 
  upper 
  parts 
  grayish 
  brown 
  with 
  light 
  markings. 
  Female: 
  

   Without 
  ruff; 
  upper 
  parts 
  grayish 
  brown 
  and 
  dusky, 
  pale 
  buff 
  below, 
  much 
  

   smaller 
  than 
  male. 
  

  

  Length 
  1 
  2-1 
  2.5 
  inches; 
  wing 
  7-7.5; 
  tail 
  2.6-3; 
  tarsus 
  1.75-2; 
  middle 
  

   toe 
  and 
  claw 
  1.4; 
  bill 
  1.5. 
  9 
  length 
  10 
  inches; 
  wing 
  6; 
  tarsus 
  1.4; 
  bill 
  1.15. 
  

  

  This 
  palearctic 
  species 
  is 
  accidental 
  in 
  eastern 
  America, 
  there 
  being 
  

   24 
  or 
  more 
  records 
  [see 
  Dean, 
  Auk, 
  22: 
  410; 
  Palmer, 
  Auk, 
  23: 
  98; 
  Hardy, 
  

   Auk, 
  25: 
  82]. 
  Two 
  specimens 
  from 
  Long 
  Island 
  are 
  in 
  the 
  G. 
  N. 
  Lawrence 
  

   Collection, 
  American 
  Museum 
  of 
  Natural 
  Histor}-, 
  a 
  male 
  taken 
  in 
  October 
  

   185 
  1 
  [Lawrence, 
  Lye. 
  Nat. 
  Hist. 
  N. 
  Y. 
  Ann. 
  5: 
  220] 
  and 
  a 
  female 
  taken 
  

   May 
  15, 
  1868 
  [Chapman, 
  Birds 
  of 
  Vicinit}^ 
  of 
  N. 
  Y. 
  Ed. 
  2. 
  p. 
  35]. 
  Baird's 
  

   statement 
  that 
  the 
  Ruff 
  has 
  been 
  "so 
  frequently 
  killed 
  on 
  Long 
  Island,'* 
  

   evidently 
  refers 
  to 
  Lawrence's 
  specimen, 
  as 
  I 
  can 
  find 
  no 
  evidence 
  of 
  any 
  

   other 
  records 
  for 
  New 
  York. 
  

  

  