MACEOKHAMPHUS GRISEUS, RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 



477 



Key, 1872, 2fi3, fig. 164.— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 10 (Kansas, migratory).— Pelz., 

 Oru. Bras. 313 (Para).- Scl. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1873, 455. 



Limosa grisea, 8cifL., Mus. Pays-Bas, Scolop. \>. 26. 



Scolopax nomhoracensls, Gsi., Syst. Nat. i, 17«8, G58.— Lath., Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 72:5 (based 

 ou Eed-lireasted Snipe, Penn., Arct. Zool. ii, 464, No. 368; Lath., Syn. v, lo4).— 

 WiLS., Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 45, pi- 58, fig. 1.— Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 398.— 

 AuD., Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 288, pi. 399; Syn. 1839, 249; B. Am. vi, 1843, 10, pi. 

 351.— GiR., B. L. 1. 1844, 263.— Pqtn., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1856, 218 (Massachusetts). 



Totanus novchoracmsis, Sabine, Franklin's Journ. 687. 



Limosa scolopacea, Say, Long's Exp. Rocky Mountains, ii, 1823, 170. 



Alacrorhawphus scolopaceiis, Lawk., Ann. Lye. N. Y. v, 1852, 4, pi. 1 ; ibid, vii, 273 (Cuba) ; 

 ibid, fiii, 1866, 293; ibid, ix, 1868, 142 (Costa Rica).— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 712 — 

 Elliot, B. N. A. pi. 40.— Coues, Ibis, 1866, 271 (California).— Dall & Bank., 

 Tr. Chic. Acad. i, 1669, 291 (Alaska, breeding).— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 10 (Kan,sa.s). 



Scolopax lonijiiostris. Bell, Ann. Lye. v, 1852, 3. 



Scolopax paijluUii, Nilsson, Orn. Saec. ii, 106. 



" Scolopiax Ivucophwa et ferriigineicoUis, Vieill." (Gray.) 



Uab. — The whole of North America. Greenland. Mexico. West Indies. Central 

 America. Much of South America. Brazil (Pelz., Orn. 313); Chili (Phil., Cat. 36). 

 Breeds iu high latitudes. Chiefly migratory iu the United States. Winters in the 

 Sonth, and beyond, as above. Of frequent casual occurrence in Europe. (See Hakt., 

 Br. Birds, 1872, 144; fifteen occurrences in Great Britain recorded, with references. 

 Gould, B. Eur. pi. 323). 



Limdeiiant irarren's Jixpedition.— 4871, Omaha City. (Omitted from Hayden's Report.) 



Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' or later Expeditions. 



This Snipe is about as large as Wilson's, and the bill is exactly as in that species. It 

 is distinguished by the greater length of the legs, the whole naked portion being 3i to 

 4 inches long, of which the bare part of the tibia is three-quarters of an inch or more ; 

 by a web between the outer and middle toes; by 12 instead of 16 tail feathers, and 

 many points of coloration. Tail and its coverts, T\ith lining of wings and axillars, 

 beautifully barred with black and white or tawny ; shaft of first primary white. In 

 breeding plujnage, browuish-black above, variegated with bay ; reddish-brown beloi\', 

 ^'ariegated with dusky ; a tawny saperciliary and dusky loral stripe. At other seasons, 

 dark gray above, the feathers with dusky centres and pale gray or whitish edges ; 

 lower back pure white ; superciliary line and spot oh under eye-lid white ; below, wlsite, 

 the jugulum, fore-breast, and sides heavily shaded with gray, leaving chin whitish,; the 

 flanks and crissum with wavy, dusky spots or bars. Length, l0.25 to 12.50 ; extent, 

 17.50 to 20.25; wing, 5.40 to 6.10; bill, 2.20 to 3.26; whole naked leg, 3.40 to 4.1.5. 

 Weight, 2 oz. 7 dr. to 4 oz. 4 dr., according to condition. 



The supposed species (M. scolopaoeus), based on larger size and larger bill, is not oven 

 entitled to rank as a variety. Almost any flock contains a per cent, of such individuals. 

 The difference in these respects is merely the normal individual variation. The follow- 

 ing fresh measurements of nine individuals, shot out of the same flock, exhibit the ex- 

 tremes connected by imperceptible gradations, and will convince tho.se most skeptical 

 of the identity of the two supposed species : 



Total length 



Extent of wings - 



Wing 



Whole naked leg. 

 Bill 



10.95 



17.50 



5.40 



3.40 



2.20 



10.50 



18.00 



5.50 



3.40 



2.40 



11.00 



18..50 



■5.65 



3.40 



2.50 



11.25 

 19.25 



5.80 

 3.35 



2.85 



11.50 



19,00 



5.75 



4.00 



2.90 



11.75 



19.50 



5.90 



4.10 



2.90 



11.90 



19.75 



6.00 



4.00 



2.95 



12.25 



20.25 



6.10 



4.10 



3.05 



12.50 



19.50 



5.85 



4.15 



3.25 



These nine specimens are graded according to length of bill, with which it will be 

 seen other dimensions grade approximately, though not corresponding in every in- 

 stance. The length of bill varies over an inch, or about .34 per cent, of the mean 

 length, which is 2.77 inches; that is to say, its variation is about one-third of the 

 whole length. The variation is next greatest in the length of leg. There is nothing 

 peculiar in this variation. The bill of Ereunetes pusillus, of Nwmenius lonyirosi ris, and 

 doubtless of other waders, is quite as variable. 



This species lias a very extensive distribution iu the Western Hemis- 

 phere, and is one of those most frequently occurring as a straggler in 

 the Old World. Its regular migrations are of immense extent, and are 

 performed with great expedition. Passing the Middle- districts in April, 

 the birds wend their way to the far North, where they breed, and are 

 again among us before the end of August. The line of migration seems 

 immaterial; many pass along either coast, while as great numbers fly 



