SEMI-PALMA TED SWIPE. 



323 



Length of the red-back, eight inches and a half ; extent, 

 fifteen inches ; bill, black, longer than the head (which would 

 seem to rank it with the snipes), slightly bent, grooved on 

 the upper mandible, and wrinkled at the base ; crown, back, 

 and scapulars, bright reddish rust, spotted with black ; wing- 

 coverts, pale olive ; quills, darker ; the first tipt, the latter 

 crossed with white ; front, cheeks, hind head, and sides of the 

 neck, quite round ; also the breast, grayish white, marked 

 with small specks of black ; belly, white, marked with a broad 

 crescent of black ; tail, pale olive, the two middle feathers 

 centred with black ; legs and feet, ashy black ; toes, divided 

 to their origin, and bordered with a slightly scalloped mem- 

 brane ; irides, very dark. 



The males and females are nearly alike in one respect, both 

 differing greatly in colour, even at the same season, probably 

 owing to difference of age ; some being of a much brighter 

 red than others, and the plumage dotted with white. In the 

 month of September many are found destitute of the black 

 crescent on the belly ; these have been conjectured to be 

 young birds. 



SEMI-PALMATED SNIPE. (Scolopax semipalmata.) 



PLATE LVL— Fig. 3. 



Arct. Zool. p. 469, No. 380.— PeaUs Museum, No. 3942. 

 TOTANUS SEMTPALMATUS.—TEMmmcK.* 



Chevalier semipalme, Totanus semipalmatus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. ii. p. 637. — 

 Totanus crassirostris, Vieill. winter plumage, auct. Bonap. — Bcmap. Cat. 

 p. 26. 



This is one of the most noisy and noted birds that inhabit 

 our salt marshes in summer. Its common name is the Willet, 



* Wilson has figured the winter dress of this curious species, and the 

 Prince of Musignano has signified his intention of representing its 

 other states. It is admitted as an accidental straggler among the 

 species of Europe by Temminck. — Ed. 



