SCOLOPACIDjE— THE SNIPE FAMILY. 45 



This is another of the "maritime," or, more properly littoral, 

 species, which visits the shore of Lake Michigan, in IlUnois. Mr. 

 Nelson says that it is a "very rare migrant during migra- 

 tions," and that "a fine adult male obtained on the Lake shore, 

 near Chicago, November 7th, 1871, is in the collection of Dr. J. 

 W. Velie. When first seen it was in company with a flock of 

 Sanderlings." "This," adds Mr. Nelson, "is the only instance of 

 the occurrence of this species of which I have"^ learned." 



Subgenus Actodromas Kaup. 



Actodromas Kaup, Sk. Ent. Eur. Thlerw. 1829, 37. Type, Tringa minuta Lbisl. 

 Seteropygia CouEs, Proo. Phila. Aoad. 1861, 191. Type, Tringa ionapartei 8ohle(j.=T 



fuSCicolUs VlEILL. 



LeiinonitesKA.VF,i. o. Type, TViresaiemmiraefet Leisl. 

 Delopygid, OouBS, Proo. Phlla. Aoad. 1861, 190 i^Beteropygia). 



Chae. Size medium to very small (smallest of the family) ; form graceful, legs and bill 

 slender, the latter straight, and little, if any, longer than the tarsus. Tarsus decidedly 

 longer than the middle toe with its claw: toe? slender, completely oleft. ^ings long and 

 pointed, their ends when closed reaching heyond the tip of the tail. 



Although the species of this subgenus vary greatly in size, 

 they all agree very closely in the details of structure. Besides 

 the American species included in the following synoptical table, 

 there are several Old World Actod/romi, among which may be 

 named Trvnga mirmta Leisl.,' T. da/rnacends (HoKSF.)*, and T. 

 alheso&m, Temm., all nearly allied to, though quite distinct 

 from, our A. mvnutilla. The American species may be distin- 

 guished as follows: 



A. Size large (wing more than 5.50), 



1. A. oooperi. Tail even, the middle feathers scarcely narrowed at the end, and not 

 projecting notably beyond the rest. Lower parts white, the jugulum, breast, and 

 sides longitudinally flecked with dusky. Above (in adult), brownish gray, the 

 feathers marked centrally with black, producing conspicuous spots on the back 

 and scapulars, streaks elsewhere. Upper tail-coverts white, with irregular sagit- 

 tate marks of dusky. Wing, 5.80; oulmen, 1.25; tarsus, 1.20; middle toe, .80. Sab. 

 Long Island. 



B. Size medium (wing less than 5.50 and more than 4.00). 



2. A, faseiooUiB. Tail as in j1. coo^jeri, but middle feathers slightly narrower at end 

 and more projecting. Colors of adult as in j1. cooperi, but more tinged with light 

 rufous on crown, back, and scapulars. Young: Back and scapulars mixed black 

 and rusty, the feathers conspicuously bordered terminally with white ; upper tail- 

 ooverts whitd, in marked contrast with the dusky rump ; breast light grayish- 

 brown, streaked with dusky. Wing about4.90; oulmen, .90-1.00; tai'sus, .95-1.00; 

 middle toe, .70-. 75. Hah. Eastern North America; South America in migrations. 



3. A. bairdii. Tail as In .4. /«scic.oZKs. Upper tail-coverts dusky, only the lateral ones 

 whitish. Adult in summer: Back and scapulars black, irregularly variegated 

 (spotted and edged) with dull buff. Jugulum white, streaked with dusky. Adult 



*Thl3 species has been taken in Alaska since the above was written. 



