BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 155 
Genus PHILOHELA Gray. 
Rubicola “Vieill” [ot] Jamuson, Wilson’s Amer. Orn., iii, 1831, 98. (Type, by 
monotypy, Scolopax minor Gmelin.) 
Microptera (not of Gravenhorst, 1802) Nurratt, Man. Birds U. 8. and Can., Water 
Birds, 1834, 192. (Type, by original designation, Rusticola minor =Scolopax 
minor Gmelin.) ; 
Rusticola (not of Vieillot, 1816) Bonaparte, Geog. and Comp. List, 1838, 52. 
(Type, Scolopax minor Gmelin.) 
Philohela Gray, List Gen. Birds, 1841, 90. (Type, by original designation, 
Scolopax minor Gmelin.) 
Medium-sized Scolopacine (wing 118-143 mm.), with tibia com- 
pletely feathered, tarsus shorter than middle toe with claw, and three 
outer primaries abbreviated and conspicuously narrowed. 
Bill straight, tapering in lateral but not in vertical profile, its depth 
at base equal to about one-seventh the length of exposed culmen, 
the latter longer than tarsus and middle toe with claw; nasal groove 
broad, except anteriorly, extending nearly to tip of maxilla, which 
is decurved, especially on under (tomial) side; nostrils subbasal, 
broadly elliptical, longitudinal. Wing ample, much rounded, the 
longest primaries exceedingly distal secondaries by less than one- 
third the length of wing; fourth and fifth primaries (from outside) 
longest, the three outermost ones decidedly shorter (of these the 
third longest, the first shortest), conspicuously reduced in width, 
with terminal portion strongly incurved; tertials falling considerably 
short of tips of longest primaries, broad, rounded at tips. Tail less 
than half as long as wing, rather strongly rounded; rectrices 14. 
Tarsus about as long as middle toe without claw, scutellate anteriorly, 
covered laterally and posteriorly with small scales; lateral toes 
much shorter than middle toe, the outer slightly longer than the 
inner; claw of hallux very short, conical, not extending beyond the 
toe; no web between toes at base. 
Coloration.—Above brown and pale gray, barred with buff and 
blotched with black; posterior half of pileum black crossed by three 
narrow bands of buff; under parts immaculate buff and cinnamon- 
brownish. 
Range.—Eastern North America. (Monotypic.) 
PHILOHELA MINOR (Gmelin). 
AMERICAN WOODCOCK. 
Adults (sexes alike).—Head, neck, and under parts pale cinnamon 
or dull cinnamon-buff, overlaid or suffused with grayish, the-occiput 
black crossed by four narrow bands or bars of pale cinnamon; a 
brownish black or dusky loral streak (from bill to eye) and an 
oblique streak of the same across cheeks; general color of upper parts 
mottled cinnamon, intermixed or suffused with grayish, the back and 
scapulars with large, irregular black spots, the outer webs of exterior 
