622 
SYSTE3IA TIG SYNOPSIS. — LIMICOL^. 
basally, then bright chestnut, with a narrow subterminal black bar, their tips fading to whit- 
ish ; some of tlie hiteral ones white, with little rufons tinge and several instead of one black 
bar. Belly white; juguluin and fore-breast light brown speckled with dusky brown; chin 
nearly white; sides of body shaded wdth brown, and with numerous regular dusky bars 
throughout ; crissum more or less rufous, with numerous dusky bars. Length of $ 10.50- 
11.50; extent 17-50-19.50; wing 4.75-5.25; bill 2.50 (more or less); tail 2.25; tarsus 
1.25 ; middle toe and claw 1.50. 9 averaging smaller. Weight of various specimens 
3 oz. 4 dr. to 4 oz. 3 dr. Bill greenish-gray, dusky on terminal third ; iris brown; feet green- 
ish-gray. This is the genuine snipe, of all the birds loosely so-called ; its name of English" 
snipe is a misnomer, as it is indigenous to this country, and distinct from any European 
species, though closely resembling two of them {G. media or codestis and G. gallinulci). In 
our species the tail is normally composed of 16 feathers, the two lateral of which on each 
iside are abruptly smaller, shorter, and much narrower, resembling the under coverts somewhat ; 
and the whole sides of the body from breast to tail, as well as the axillars and lining of the 
wings, are completely and regularly barred, as is also the crissum. Open wet places of 
North America, at hirge ; migratory ; breeds from N. U. S. northward ; S. into S. Amer. in 
winter, though many remain in U. S. The general habits of this favorite game-bird are 
too M^ell known to require remark. Eggs 3-4, moderately pyriform, grayish-olive, with more 
or less brownish shade ; markings bold and numerous, most so on the larger end, of varying 
shades of umber-brown ; usually also sharp scratchy lines of black ; shell-spots not notice- 
able. Nest a mere depression in grass or moss of the bog ; chicks mottled with white, ashy, 
oclirey and dark brown. 
232. MACRORHAM'PHUS. (Gr. fxaKpos, makros, long, pdfi<f)os, hramphos, beak.) Web-toed 
Snipe. Bill as in Gallinago, Wings longer and more pointed, more as in Tringa. Tibiae 
naked below for a space about half the length of tarsus. Tarsus longer than middle toe and 
claw. Anterior toes webbed at base; webbing most extensive between middle and outer. 
Tail doubly-emarginate, of only 12 stiffish (as compared with GaUinago) feathers ; all the 
feathers cLjsely and regularly barred. Sexes alike ; summer and winter plumages different 
(as in sandpipers). Thoroughly snipe-like in the bill, but otherwise like long-legged sand- 
pipers ; near Micropalama, for example. Two alleged species, or varieties. 
Analysis of Varieties. 
Length 10.00 to 12.50; extent 17.50-20.00; wing 5.30-6.00, average 5.70; bill 2.00-3.00; tarsus 1.25-1.75, 
average 1.53 ; middle toe without claw 0.90-1.10, average 1.00. 
Wing 5.25-5.90, average 5.65; hill, 2.00-2.55, average 2.30; tarsus, average, 1.35; middle toe alone, 
average 0.95. In summer : Belly whitish ; breast and sides speckled with dusky .... f/riseus 609 
Wing 5.40-6.00, average 5.75; bif I, 2,-20-3.20, average 2.80; tarsus, average, 1.60; middle toe alone, 
average 1.00. In summer: Belly cinnamon-brown; breast scantily speckled with dusky; sides 
barred with dusky scolopaceus 610 
Measurements of nine individuals, shot out of one flock in Dakota, formerly supposed to include both 
species, and to show their perfect gradation in size ; now supposed to show individual variation in M. 
scolopaceus alone. 
Total length . . . 
. 10.25 
10.50 
11.00 
11.25 
11.50 
11.75 
11.90 
12.25 
12.50 
Extent of wings. . 
. 17.50 
18.00 
18.50 
19.25 
19.00 
19.50 
19.75 
20.25 
19.50 
5.40 
5.50 
5.65 
5.80 
5.75 
5.90 
6.00 
6.10 
5.85 
Whole naked leg . 
. 3.40 
3.40 
3.40 
3.35 
4.00 
4.10 
4.00 
4.10 
4.15 
Bill 
. 2.20 
2.40 
2.50 
2.85 
2.90 
2.90 
2.95 
3.05 
3.25 
609. M. gri'seus. (Lat. griseus, gray. Fig. 437.) Red-breasted Snipe (summer). Gray 
Snipe (winter). Brown-back. Dowitcher. Adult 9 in summer: Under parts rich 
rusty-red, paler or whitish on the belly ; jugulum, breast, and sides fully speckled with dusky. 
Axillars and lining of wings white, with angular dusky markings. Wing-quills fuscous, the 
shaft of the 1st primary white, of the others brown ; secondaries conspicuously tipped with 
white. Above, black, varied everywhere Math the reddish color of the under parts, and on 
