BIRDS — SCOLOPACIDAE — SYMPHEMIA SEMIPALMATA. 729 



SYMPHEMIA, Rafinesque. 



Symphemia, Rafinesque, Jour, de Phys. 1819. Type Scolopax semipalmata, Gmelin. 

 Catoptrophorus, Eonap. Syn. 1828, 323. Same type. 



Ch. — Bill compressed, very thick, the culmen rounded. The lower mandible scarcely grooved ; the upper grooved to ahout 

 the middle. Culmen slightly convex : gonys ascending. Bill cleft but little beyond base of culmen. Feathers of sides of both 

 mandibles falling short of the nostrils ; the lower rather further forward. Chin feathers reaching to beginning of nostrils. Bill 

 longer than head ; about equal to tarsus, which is more than 1 j times the middle toe. Both toes webbed ; the emargination of 

 inner web as far forward as the middle of basal joint of middle toe ; the outer reaching nearly to the end. Bare portion of 

 tibia rather less than middle toe without claw. Tail nearly even, or little rounded, not half the wings. 



SYMPHEMIA SEMIPALMATA, (Gm.) Hartlaub. 



Willet. 



Scolopax semipalmaim, Gmelin, Syet. Nat. I,'1788, 659. — Wilson, Am. Om. VII, 1813, 27; pi. Ivi. 



Totanus semipalmaim, Temm. Man.— Bon. Obs. 1825; No. 206;— Sw. F. Bor. Am. 11, 1831, 388; pi. Ixvii.— Aud. Orn. 



Biog. Ill, 1835, 510 : V, 585; pi. 274.— Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 324 ; pi. 347. 

 " Glottis semipalmatw, Nilsson, Orn. Sueo. 1817." 



Tolanus {Catoptrophorus) semipalmatus, Bos. Syn. 1828, 328. — Nutt. Man. IF, 1834, 144. 

 Symphemia semipalmaia, Hartlaub, Rev. Zool. 1845, 342. 



? Totanus spemUferus, " Gov. K. A. 1817, 2d ed. I, 531."— Pdohekan, Rev. et Mag. Zool. Ill, 1851, 569. 

 Totanm crassirostris, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. VI, 1816, 406. 

 Symphemia atlantica, Raf. Journal de Phys. LXXXVIII, 1819, 417. 

 Fighbes.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 56, fig. 3. — Aud. B. of Am. pi. 274; ocfc. ed. V, pi. 347.— Rich, and Swains. Faun. Bor. 

 Am. Birds, pi. 67.— Gould B. of Eur. IV, pi. 311. 



Sp. Ch. — The largest American species of this genus. Bill longer than the head, straight, rather thick and strong; groove in 

 the upper mandible extending about half its length, in the lower mandible nearly obsolete ; wings long ; legs long, strong ; toes 

 moderate, united at base by membranes, the larger of which unites the outer and middle toe; hind toe small; tail short. 

 Adult. Entire upper parts dark ash color, (without spots;) the shafts of the feathers brownish black; rump and upper tai' 

 coverts white. Under parts white, tinged with ashy on the neck and sides ; axillariea aud under wing coverts brownish black ; 

 primary quills white at base, and tipped with brownish black; secondaries white, spotted with brownish black; tail ashy white, 

 the two middle feathers strongly tinged with ashy ; others spotted with dark ashy brown. Bill darlf bluish brown, lighter at 

 base ; legs light blue. Yauvger. Entire plumage spotted, and transversely banded with brownish black. 



Total length about 15 inches ; wing, 8i; tail, 3i ; bill about 24 ; tarsus about 2J inches. 



Sab. — Entire temperate regions of North America; South America. 



This large and handsome species is easily recognized, and is abundant on both the Atlantic 

 and Pacific coasts of the republic. There is very considerable difierence of color between the 

 adult and young birds ; but the white space. on the wings is a character always present and 

 easily distinguished. It is the largest bird of this group inhabiting the United States. 



The Totcmus speculiferus of Ouvier, according to Pucheran, is very similar to the common 

 willet, but stands higher, and has a longer bill ; the feet are similar in both. I have been 

 unable to appreciate the validity of this distinction in the extensive series before me. 



August 10, 1858. 



92 b 



