39 



19. Inner web of outer primary speckled with blackish 



Buff -breasted Sandpiper. 



19. Inner web of outer primary not speckled (20) 



20. Wing over 6 inches long Knot. 



20. Wing under 6 inches long (21) 



21. Bill curved downward Red-backed Sandpiper. 



21. Bill straight (22) 



22. Bill over 1J inches long Purple Sandpiper. 



22. Bill under 1J inches long (23) 



23. Wing under 4 inches long Least Sandpiper. 



23. Wing over 4 inches long (24) 



24. Upper tail-coverts white White-rumped Sandpiper. 



24. Upper tail-coverts black Pectoral Sandpiper. 



24. Upper tail-coverts fuscous Baird Sandpiper. 



228. *Philohela minor (Gmelin) — Woodcock. 



A rare migrant in the extreme eastern part of the state, breeding 

 occasionally along the bottomlands of the Missouri river and other 

 wooded streams flowing into it. Omaha, West Point, and Sarpy and Otoe 

 counties; stragglers reported from Beatrice and Lincoln, and even as 

 far as Neligh. Arrives late in March and leaves in October. May 

 winter in mild seasons. 



230. Gallinago delicata (Ord) — Wilson Snipe. 



A very common migrant throughout the state and found in winter 

 about springs in Holt, Cherry, Dawes, and Sioux counties, and along 

 the Missouri river. It may possibly breed in northern Nebraska, 

 as is claimed by some ranchmen, since it is reported staying all sum- 

 mer at North Platte by M. K. Barnum, was seen in Cherry county 

 by Trostler late in June, 1895, and in the same region in June, 1900, 

 by J. S. Hunter. Migrates during the latter part of April and in 

 May, and again from the end of September to the middle of November. 



231. Macrorhamphus griseus (Gmelin) — Dowitchee. 



Specimens which were referred to this species have been reported 

 from West Point, Lincoln, and Omaha, by Bruner; from Omaha by 

 Skow and Trostler, April 30, 1893 and Sept. 15, 1894; from Neligh 

 by Cary, May 16, 1899; from Cherry county by Bates; and from 

 Lincoln by. August Eiche, in whose collection is a specimen with a bill 

 only 2.25 inches long. Aughey's records of this species probably 

 refer to the next. It is claimed by many authorities that the 

 Dowitcher is only found in the eastern states and that all western 

 specimens represent simply variations of the Long-billed Dowitcher. 

 So long as the authorities are not unanimous these records are al- 

 lowed to stand for what they are worth. The two species differ in 

 color in the breeding plumage but in the winter plumage are in- 

 distinguishable. • 



