506 TEYNGITES EUFESCENS, BUFF-BEE ASTED SANDPIPEE. 



flavored bird. Being so delicate, they are easily killed, dropping to a 

 touch of the finest shot. 



There is but little difference in the plumage of these birds at any 

 season, and their size is also quite constant. The sexes are not dis- 

 tinguishable by any outward marks (though the female averages slightly 

 larger than the male), and the young closely resemble the parents upon 

 their first complete feathering. In measuring a great number of fresh 

 specimens, 1 found the length to vary only from 11.50 to 12.75 ; the 

 extent, 21.50 to 23.00; the wing, 6.25 to 7.00 ; the tail is about .3.60 ; the 

 tarsus about 1.75; the bill, 1.00 to 1.25, measured along the culmen. 



TRYNGITES EUFESCENS, (Vleill.) Cab. 



Baff-l)reaste(l Sandpiper. 



Tringa rufescens, Tieiix., Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xssiv, 1819, 470 (Louisiana) ; Ency. 

 Meth. ii, 1823, 1050; Gal. Ois. ii, 1825, 105, pi. 238.— Nutt., Man. ii, 1834, 113.— 

 Bp., List, 1838, 50.— Tejim., Man. Oru. iv, 1840, 408.— AuD., Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 

 451, pi. 265; Syn. 1839, 235; B. Am. v, 1842, 264, pi. 331.— GiR., B. L. I. 1844, 

 230.— Keys. & Blas., Wirb. Eur. 77.— Jenyxs, Man. 214.— Eyt., Cat. Br. B. 

 41.— Macgil., Man. ii, 68.— Gkay, Gen. of B. iii, 1849, 579.— Jakd., Br. Birds, 

 iii, 235.— Yaee., Tr. Linn. Soc. XYi, 109, pi. 11; Br. Birds, iii, 60 (European).— 

 PUTN., Pr. Ess. Inst, i, 1856, 217 (autumn, rare). 



AcUturus nifescena, Bp.— Blas., List B. Eur. 1862, 18 (England and Heligoland). 



Tnjngites rufescens, Cab., J. f. 0. iv, 418 (Cuba).— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 739.— Coop. & 

 Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 244 (Shoalwater Bay, migratory).- "Wheat., 

 Ohio Agr. Eep. 1860, No. 220.— Allen, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1864, 78 (migratory, 

 rare).— Coues, iUd.v, 1868, 296.— Dress., Ibis, 1866, 39 (Texas).— Lawr., Ann. 

 Lye. N. Y. viii, 1866, 294.— Scl. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1866, 199 (Ueayali, Eastern 

 Peru) ; 1866, 567 ; 1867, 754, 979.— CoUES, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1858, 123 (South 

 Carolina, migratoiy).- Tuknb., B. E. Pa. 1869, 32 (autumn, rare). — Dall & 

 Baxn., Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 293 (Nulato and Sitka ; breeding abundantly in 

 the Anderson River region).— Ma vx., Guide, 1870, 142 (Massachusetts, migra- 

 tory, rare).— Codes, Key, 1872, 260, fig. 173.— Snow, B. Kans. 1873, 10 (occar 

 sional).— Scl. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1873, 309 (Peru).— Eidgw., Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 

 1874, 385 (Illinois). 



ActUis rufescens, ScHL., Eev. Crit. Ois. Eur. 92 ; M. P.-B. Scolopaces, 79. 



Tringoides rvfescens, Pelz., Orn. Bras. 310 (Brazil, October to April). 



Tringoides {Tryngites) rvfescens, Gr-vy, Hand-list, iii, 1871, 46, No. 10283. 



Tringa suliriificoltis, Vieillot. (Gray and Schlegel.) 



Tringa brevirosiris, Lichtexsteix. (Gray and Schlegel.) 



Aciidurus noevius, Heerm., Pr. Phila. Acad, vii, 1854, 179; P. E. E. Eep. x, pt. vi, 1859, 

 20, pi. 6 (Texas). 



Hob. — The whole of North America. Migratory in the United States. Eather un- 

 common along the eastern coast. Breeds in the interior of the fur countries, and in 

 Alaska. South America. Montevideo (Darwin, Voy. Beagle, Birds, 130 ; and as above). 

 Europe (Gouu), B. E. pi. 331 ; H^veting, Br. Birds, 1872, 138 ; numerous British in- 

 stances, with references). 



[Note. — Examining the types of Tringa pamirostris, Peale, which has been referred 

 to T. rufescens, with a query, by Dr. Schlegel, and made a variety of the same by 

 Bonaparte, I find that not only is it au entirely diflferent bird, specifically, but that it 

 is scarcely congeneric. Having the extremely small bill of T. rufescens, this organ is 

 smaller still, slenderer, and without the peculiar forward outline of the feathers at its 

 base, which characterizes T. rvfescens. In the mounted specimens, the wings fall far 

 short of the end of the tail instead of reaching rather beyond. There is none of the 

 peculiar mottling of the primaries, which is such a strong feature of T. rufescens; the 

 tail is barred transversely, and there are other differences in coloration. Should it be 

 deemed worthy ot subgeueric separtion, it may be called ^chmorhynchus jmnirostris.l 



Not obtained by any of the Expeditions. 



Though usually classed as a Sandpiper in the genus Tringa, mainly, it would seem, 

 on account of its short, straight bill, this remarkably interesting little bird is really 

 a Tattler, and its nearest relative, among our species, is the Bartramian Tattler, 

 Actiturua liartramins. Its aspect is peculiar ; no other species very closely resembles it. 

 The bill is very short and small, and appears still more so by the great forward exten- 

 sion of the feathers on its base — to the nostrils on the upper mandible, still further on 



