THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



19 



spotted with different shades of brown, 

 size about l£ x 1 inch. 



{708) 225. Recurvirostra americana. 



American Avocet. (566.) 



Above black ; head and neck light reddish 

 brown ; rump, tail, scappulars, tips of upper 

 wing coverts and under parts white ; bill 3f 

 inches long and curved slightly upward ; 

 length 17 inches. 



A rare straggler along our coast ; 

 breeds in the western states, where it 

 is coram on. Nests in marshes near 

 water. Eggs, three or four, creamy 

 or greenish buff, spotted with different 

 shades of brown ; average size about 

 2 x lj inches. 



(709) 226. Himautopus mexicanus. 



Black-necked Stilt. (567.) 



Top of bead, back of neck, back and wings 

 black ; Front of head, under parts and spot 

 behind the eye white ; legs long, red ; bill 

 black ; length 14 inches. 



A rare straggler along our coast. 

 Much more common in the Western 

 States. Breeds in California in com- 

 munities. Nest of sticks, etc., on the 

 ground near water. Eggs, three or 

 four, pale olive yellow ground, spot- 

 ted and marbled with different shades 

 of dark brown and about If x lj in. 

 (770) 228. Philohela minor. 



American Woodcock. (525.) 



Above mottled with black, ash color and 

 brown of different shades; beneath pale rufous 

 brown ; bill long ; eyes near back of head ; 

 length 11 inches. 



A common summer resident, fre- 

 quently remaining throughout the 

 year. The nest is simply a hollow in 

 the leaves in woods or swampy locali- 

 ties. The eggs are four in number, 

 ground color pale brownish clay with 

 spots and specs of dark brown and 



lighter shades of the same color, size 

 1^ x 1\ inches. 



(///) 230. Oallinago delicata. 



Wilson's Snipe. (526a.) 



Above brownish black, with spots and edg- 

 ings of pale brown and whitish ; beneath 

 white barred with brownish ; black on sides ; 

 bill long ; length 10^ inches. 



A common, but somewhat irregular 

 migrant. Arrives from the south in 

 April, and passes through on the re- 

 turn in October. Breeds from our 

 northern tier of states northward to 

 Alaska. Nest simply a hollow in the 

 leaves or grass, near water. Eggs 

 three or four, creamy, olive or clay 

 grmmd color, blotched, spotted and 

 marbled with different shades of dark 

 brown, and averaging about l^x 1 in. 



(772) 237. Macrorhamphus griseus. 



Red-breasted Snipe. (527.) 



Above mottled with brownish ash color and 

 black ; rump white ; below pale reddish 

 brown, spotted on the neck and banded on 

 sides and under tail coverts with blackish ; 

 bill long ; form slender ; length 10 inches. 



A rather rare migrant. I have ta- 

 ken a few at Gardiners Island during 

 the fall migration in September. 

 Breeds in the Artie Regions late in 

 June. Nests in marshes, near water, 

 made of grasses and leaves. Eggs 

 four, closely resembling those of the 

 last species. 



(773) 232. Macrorhamphus scolopaceus. 



Long-billed Dowitcher. (527a.) 



Almost exactly like the preceding bird, but 

 a trifle larger, and bill and tarsus longer. 

 " Upper parts more cinereous," legs and bill 

 dark brown. Length Hi inches. 



Rare on Long Island during the 

 migrations. "A female of this species 



