The Knot 



No. 236 



Knot 



A. O. U. No. 234. Canutus canutus (Linnaeus). 



Synonyms. — Robin Snipe. Gray Snipe.; 



Description. — Adult in summer: Upperparts light gray, streaked centrally 

 with black (narrowly on crown and nape, broadly on back and scapulars), and varied 

 irregularly with some ochraceous buff; primary coverts and primaries blackish, the 

 latter with white shafts; upper tail-coverts with subterminal U- or V-shaped markings 

 of dusky; tail uniform grayish brown; underparts in general pale cinnamon-rufous; 

 cheeks and superciliary region washed with same, and dusky-streaked; paler or white 

 on belly; crissum, under tail-coverts, thighs, lining of wings, and sides white, — the 

 last two and sides of breast more or less dusky-barred. Bill and feet greenish black. 

 Adult in winter: Above plain ashy gray; upper tail-coverts and tail as before; under- 

 parts white; the sides of neck, fore-neck, and chest with faint dusky streaks, or irregular 

 bars, and the sides similarly barred. Immature: Above, ashy gray, mottled with 

 dusky on crown; with whitish edging and narrow submarginal dusky on feathers of 

 back and scapular region; the fore-breast flecked or streaked, but not barred, with 

 dusky; otherwise much as in winter plumage adult. Length 254-279.4 (10.00-11.00) ; 

 wing 165. 1 (6.50); tail 58.7 (2.31); bill 34 (1.34); tarsus 31.2 (1.23). 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size; called "Robin Snipe" from the cinnamon- 

 rufous of breast (in summer); the largest of the Tringm; found coastwise. 



Nesting. — In highest Arctic latitudes. Eggs (As described by Mr. Ludlow 

 Griscom from set taken by Elmer Ekblaw, of the American Museum of Natural History 

 Expedition to Crocker Land): 4; white as to ground, strongly or weakly washed with 

 olive-green, splotched and spotted thickly with olive-brown, chiefly at larger end. 

 Av. size 46.6 x 30.4 (1.83 x 1.20). 



General Range. — Circumpolar; in migrations south, chiefly along the sea coasts 

 to extremities of the continents, New Zealand, Australia, etc. Not commonly found 

 in the interior of North America nor along the Pacific Coast. 



Occurrence in California. — Of irregular occurrence during migrations, coast- 

 wise. Sporadically common. 



Authorities. — Townsend (Tringa canutus), Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. x., 1887, 

 p. 198 (Humboldt Bay) ; Bowles and Howell, Condor, vol. xiv., 1912, p. 8 (Santa Bar- 

 bara; migr. dates); Grinnell, Bryant, and Storer, Game Birds Calif., 1918, p. 363 (desc. 

 occurrence, habits, etc.). 



"WHEN King Canute, or Knut, had dined on a dish of strange coast- 

 faring birds, he was gracious enough to express to his blushing chef the 

 royal appreciation of the flavor. Whereupon the eager courtiers dubbed 

 the waders Knuts, or Knots, and so they have come down to us — at least 

 so Pennant says ; and Linnaeus, not over-serious (he was a busy man with 

 all of Adam's task to finish) accepted the tradition in 'Tringa canutus.' 

 It is certainly fitting that these birds of the farthest north should bear the 

 name of some hardy Norseman. 



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