SCOLOPACIDJE — THE SNIPE FAMILY — MACRORHAMPHUS. 
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Genus MACRORHAMPHUS, Leach. 
Macrorhamphus, “Leach, Cat. Brit. Birds, 1816,” Gray (tyjre, Scolopax grisea, Gm. ). 
Char. General appearance of Gallinago. Tarsi longer than middle toe ; a short web between 
the base of outer and middle toe. Plumage very different in winter and summer ; young different 
from the adult. 
The membrane at the base of the toes will at once distinguish this genus from Gallinago, 
though there are other characters involved. 
But a single species of this genus is known ; this inhabits the whole of North America, breeding- 
in the northern regions, and occurring more or less frequently in Europe. 
The single species of this genus, with its two well-marked geographical races, is characterized 
as follows : — 
1 . M. griseus. About the size of Gallinago IVilsoni, or larger. Bill long, compressed, flattened 
and expanded toward the end, where (in dried specimens) punctulated and corrugated. Shaft of 
first primary strong, pure Avliite. Axillars, tail-coverts, and lower part of rump, white, barred, or 
transversely spotted, with slate-color ; upper part of rump white, usually immaculate. Tail slaty 
or dusky, barred with white (or, in summer adult, with pale cinnamon on the middle feathers). 
Adult in summer: Head, neck, and lower parts light cinnamon (the abdomen sometimes whitish), 
the foreneck and sides of breast speckled, the sides and crissum barred or speckled with dusky. 
Upper parts mixed black, light cinnamon, and white, the former prevailing. Adult in winter : 
Belly and anal region white, usually unspotted ; rest of the plumage nearly uniform ash-gray, 
somewhat intermixed with white on the breast and sides ; wing-coverts bordered Avith Avhitish ; a 
whitish superciliary stripe. Young, first plumage : Back, scapulars, and tertials, variegated black 
and light clav-color, the latter chiefly on the edges of the feathers ; lower parts dirty white, soiled 
with dull buff or pale clay color, especially across the breast ; jugulum and sides usually indis- 
tinctly speckled with dusky. Total length, about 10.00 to 12.50 inches ; extent, 17.50 to 20.25 ; 
Aving, 5.30-6.00 (5.73) ; culmen, 2.00-3.00; tarsus, 1.25-1.75 (1.53) ; middle toe, .90-1.10 (1.00). 
a. griseus. Wing, 5.25-5.90 (5.65); culmen, 2.00-2.55 (2.30); tarsus, 1.20-1.55 (1.35); 
middle toe, .90-1.05 (.95). 1 Adult in summer : Abdomen Avhitish ; breast and sides speckled 
Avith dusky. Hub. Atlantic coast of North America. 
/3. scolopaceus. Wing, 5.40-6.00 (5.74); culmen, 2.10-3.00 (2.72); tarsus, 1.35-1.75 (1.58); 
middle toe, .95-1.15 (1.01). 2 Adult in summer: Abdomen uniform cinnamon, without 
markings ; breast speckled (usually scantily), and sides barred Avith dusky. Ilah. Mississippi 
Valley and Western Province of North America, from Mexico to Alaska. 
1 Extremes and average of eighteen fully adult specimens. 
2 Extremes and average of forty fully adult specimens. 
