370 CHAEADEIID-i:. 



pitted as in the last-named genus. Both the outer and inner toes are united by a 

 distinct basal membrane to the middle toe. 



Only one species, M. Jiimantopus, is known, breeding in temperate North America, 

 and migrating south in winter through our region and the "West Indies to South 

 America. 



1. Micropalama himantopus. 



Tringa himantopus, Bp. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ii. p. 157 ^ 



Mia-opalama himantopus, Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 229'; Sol. P. Z. S. 1862, p. 369 '; Dresser, 



Ibis, 1866, p. 37 * ; Lawr. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 47 ' ; Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 232 ' ; 



Baird, Brewer, & Ridgw. Water-Birds N. Amer. i. p. 201 ' ; Ferrari-Perez, Pr. U. S. Nat. 



Mus. ix. p. 178 '; A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 86 ' ; Elliot, N. Amer. 



Shore-Birds, p. 61 "; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 401 ". 

 Ereunetes himantopus, Seebohm, Geog;r. Distr. Charadr. p. 400 ". 



Ptil. Jiiem. Speciei prsecedenti similis, sed minor, uropygio et supracaudalibus albis, bmnneo striolatis nee 



transfasckitis ; rectricibus cineraceis, medialiter albis, minime nigro transfasciatis distingaenda. Long. 



tota circa 7-5, alae 5-1, caudse 2-15, cnlm. 2-0, tarsi 1-75. (Descr. avis adultse ex Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 

 Ftil. oestiv. gutture toto bmnneo striolato, corpore reliquo transfasciato, notseo nigro et mfo variegato, regione 



parotica et pilei postici lateribus cinnamomeis distingaenda. Long, tota 8'0, alae 5*0. (Descr. maris 



adnlti ex Momotombo. Mus. nostr.) 



Jlab. Eastern Nokth Amebica, breeding north of the United States ^. — ^Mexico ^, Mata- 

 moros (Dresser^), Zacatecas (Eichardson^^), Laguna del Kosario, State of Tlaxcala 

 (Ferrari-Perez ^), San Mateo, Tehuantepec {ISiimichrast ^ '') ; Guatemala, DueSas 

 {O.S.^^^); Nicaragua, Momotombo {Richardson ^^). — South Amekica generally 

 in winter 11 ; West Indies h. 



The Stilt-Sandpiper does not breed so far north as some of the other Wadingr 

 birds which nest only in the Arctic Regions; but it is found during the breeding- 

 season in Temperate and sub-Arctic North America, wintering in the Neotropical 

 Region. It appears to pass on migration not only along both the Atlantic and Pacific 

 coast-lines, but also through the interior of Central and South America. 



The records of the occurrence of this species within our limits are not numerous. 

 Mr, Dresser* procured several specimens near Matamoros on the autumnal migration, 

 when they were seen in company with Macrorhamphus griseus. We procured one 

 example at Duenas, shot out of a flock of Tringa pectoralis. 



M. himantopus occurs on the eastern coast of the United States, where small flocks 

 frequent the mud-flats, associating with other small Sandpipers. It is said to wade 

 deep in the water, and to sweep with its bill for food, after the manner of an 

 Avocet I*'. 



The nest is described as a mere depression in the ground, lined with leaves and 

 grass. The eggs are pale greyish-white, with dark brown markings, which are more 

 numerous at the larger end. 



