626 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— LIMICOL^. 



ezpauded, its point very acute. Grooves in both mandibles very long and deep, that of the 

 lower very narrow. Feathers extending on the side of lower mandible much farther than those 

 on the upper, about half as far as those between the rami. Wings long ; first and second 

 primaries about equal, but varying, third much shorter ; tertials long, slender, flowing. Tail 

 rather long, but slightly doubly-emarginate, the central feathers rounded, projecting but little. 

 Toes long, slender, slightly marginedi the middle with its claw about equal to tarsus. Adult 

 in breeding plumage : Entire upper parts a very dark brownish-black, deeper on the rump and 

 lighter on the neck behind, each feather bordered and tipped with light reddish-yellow ; on the 

 scapulai's the tips broader and nearly pure white, and the margins brighter, making several deep 

 indentations towards the shaft. Upper tail-coverts long, extending to within half an inch of 

 the tips of the central tail-feathers, black, except the outer series, which are white with dusky 

 markings. Central tail-feathers brownish-black, the rest successively lighter, and all with a 

 narrow border of white. Jugulum with a very decided light brownish suffusion (much as in 

 A. maculata), and, together with the sides under the wings to some distance, with rounded 

 obsolete spots and streaks of dusky. Throat and under parts generally white, immaculate. 

 BiU, legs, and feet black. Young in August : Dimensions and proportions as in the adult. 

 Upper parts a nearly unifonn light ashy-brown, deeper on the rump, each feather with a 

 central dark field and with a light edge, these whitish edgings usually conspicuous. Traces of 

 the brownish-black of the adult on the scapulars. Breast and jugulum with the suffusion very 

 light reddish-brown, the streaks sparse and very indistinct. Length 7.00-7.50; extent 15.25- 

 16.50 ; wing 4.35-4.75 ; tail 2.35 ; bill, tarsus, and middle toe with claw, about 0.87. Colors almost 

 exactly as in the last species ; edgings of upper plumage rather tawny than chestnut ; jugular 

 suffusion pale, rather fulvous, the streaks small and sparse, sometimes almost obsolete. Size 

 of bonapartii, but not easy to confound with that white-rumped species. North and South 

 America ; rare on the Atlantic coast, common in the interior ; the most abundant small sand- 

 piper in some parts of the west, during the migrations. Breeds in Arctic regions ; eggs 3-4, 

 1.30 X 0.92, clay-colored, grayer or more buffy in different specimens, spotted with rich umber 

 and chocolate-browns of varying shades ; in some cases the markings fine and innumerable, in 

 others massed at the greater end, sometimes with black tracery also ; pale shell-spots usually 

 evident. June, July. 

 616. A. inacula'ta. (Lat. maculata, spotted.) Pectoral Sakdpipee. Grass-snipe. Jack- 

 snipe. Bill a little longer than the head, about equal to the tarsus or middle toe, moderately. 

 stout, straight or very lightly decurved, the tip more expanded and punotulate than in the type 

 of the genus. Grooves in both mandibles long and deep. Wings long, pointed, first primary 

 decidedly longest ; tertials very long, narrow, and flowing. Tarsus equal to middle toe, both 

 about equal to the bill. Tail rather long, deeply doubly-emarginate, the central feathers pointed 

 and greatly projecting. Adult in spring : An ill-deflned white line over the eye, and a more 

 distinct one of dusky between eye and bill. Crown streaked with brownish-black and light chest- 

 nut, conspicuously different from the neck behind, which is streaked with dusky and light ochre- 

 ous. Upper parts generally, a very dark brownish-black, every feather edged with ashy or dark 

 chestnut-red, brightest on the scapulars, the tips usually lighter, and the margins never making 

 deep indentations toward the shaft. Rump and upper taU-coverts black, the outer series of the 

 latter white, with sagittate spots of dusky. Primaries deep dusky, almost black, the sliaft of the 

 first white, of the others brown. Secondaries and greater coverts dusky, edged and tipped 

 with white. Lesser coverts dusky, fading into light grayish-ash on their edges. Central tail- 

 feathers brownish-black, lighter on their edges, the lateral light ashy, margined with white. 

 Jugulum and breast with a heavy wash of ashy-brown, and with very numerous weU-defined 

 streaks of dusky ; the suffusion extending on the sides under the wings to some distance, where 

 the dusky streaks are mostly shaft-lines. Chin, and under parts generally, white, immaculate. 

 BUI and feet dusky greenish. Young in September : Edges of the feathers of the upper parts 



