224 
PRiECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL^E. 
like our tree-frogs ; and before Mr. Elliott had traced the noise to this source, he 
had searched several weeks, unavailingly, for these reptiles, misled by the call of 
this bird. 
The eggs have the following measurements: 1.60 by 1.10; 1.52 by 1.10; 1.50 by 
1.11, and 1.55 by 1.09 inches. They are decidedly pyriform in shape, one end being 
much more obtuse than the other, the acute ends retreating in a very pronounced 
manner. The ground-color in all. the specimens is of a pure and clear drab, and is 
very boldly marked with large blotches of sepia brown, intermingled with other 
markings which are suffused with a wash of a purplish ash. In some instances the 
sepia markings are dilute, and in others they are intensified almost to blackness. 
The eggs were taken June 19, 1873, and were then quite fresh. 
Genus ACTODROMAS, Kaup. 
Actodromas, Kaup, Sk. Ent. Eur. Tliienv. 1829, 37 (type, Tringa minuta, Leisl. ). 
Heteropygia, Coues, Pr. PhilatL Acad. 1861, 190 (type, Tringa Bonapartei, Sculeg . = T . fuscicollis, 
VlEILL.). 
Lcimonites, Kaup, t. c. (type, Tringa Temmincki, Leisl. ). 
Delopygia, Coues, Pr. Pliilad. Acad. 1861, 190 (—Heteropygia). 
Char. Size medium to very small (smallest of the family) ; form graceful, legs and bill slen- 
der, the latter straight, and little, if any, longer than the tarsus. Tarsus decidedly longer than the 
middle toe with its claws ; toes slender, completely cleft. Wings long and pointed, their ends 
when closed reaching beyond the tip of the tail. 
A. maculata. 
Although the species of this genus vary greatly in size, they all agree very closely in the details 
of structure. Besides the American species included in the following synoptical table, there are 
several Old World Actodromi, among which may be named Tringa minuta , Leisl., and T. albescens, 
Temm., both nearly allied to, though quite distinct from, our A. minutilla. The American species 
may be distinguished as follows : — 
A. Size large (wings more than 5.50). 
1. A Cooperi. Tail even, the middle feathers scarcely narrowed at the end, and not pro- 
jecting notably beyond the rest. Lower parts white, the jugulum, breast, and sides longi- 
tudinally flecked with dusky. Above (in adult), brownish gray, the feathers marked 
centrally with black, producing conspicuous spots on the back and scapulars, streaks 
elsewhere. Upper tail-coverts white, with irregular sagittate marks of dusky. Wing, 
5.80 ; culmen, 1.25 ; tarsus, 1.20; middle toe, .80. Hab. Long Island. 
