SC0L0PACIDJ3 — THE SNIPE FAMILY — PELIDNA. 241 
Genus PELIDNA, Cuvier. 
Pelidna, Cuv. Reg. An. 1817, 490 ; ed. 2, 1829, 526 (type, Tringa alpina, Linn.). 
Ancyloclieilus, Kaup, Sk. Ent. Eur. Thierw. 1829, 50 (type, Tringa subarquata, Temm.). 
Char. Bill slender, longer than the head, deep through the base, compressed, scarcely or not 
at all expanded at the tip, and decidedly decurved terminally. Tarsus shorter than the bill, longer 
than the middle toe. Wings reaching beyond end of tail. 
P. alpina. 
The genus Pelidna includes two well-known Sandpipers, both of which are common to North 
America and Europe, although one of them, the Curlew Sandpiper (P. subarquata ) can scarcely 
be considered as more than a straggler here. The other is represented in the two continents by 
distinguishable races. The character of the species and races of Pelidna are as follows : — 
1. P. alpina. Upper tail-coverts dusky. Adult in summer : Belly black, other lower parts whitish. 
Winter plumage : No black beneath ; above, uniform brownish gray. Young : Belly and 
breast spotted with black. 
a. Alpina. Wing, 4.30-4.75 ; culmen, 1.15-1,40 ; tarsus, .85-1.00 ; middle toe, .70-75. Hub. 
Europe. 
/3. Amtricana. Wing, 4.60-4.95 ; culmen, 1.40-1.75; tarsus, 1.00-1.15; middle toe, .70-.80. 
Hah. North America. 
2. P. subarquata. Upper tail-coverts white. Adult in summer : Beneath, including belly, deep 
cinnamon-rufous. Winter plumage: Beneath, white, obsoletely streaked on the jugulum ; 
above, brownish gray. Young : Belly and breast unspotted. Plab. Palsearctic Region ; 
occasional in Eastern and Northern North America. 
Pelidna alpina. 
a. Alpina. THE RED-BACKED SANDPIPER; DUNLIN. 
Tringa alpina, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, 1758, 149 ; ed. 12, 1766, 249 (based on Cinclus torquatus, Briss. 
Orn. V. 1760, 216, pi. 19, fig. 2). — Newt. Man. N. H. Green], 1875, 103 (Greenland). 
Pelidna alpina, Ridgw. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas. 1881, 200 ; Nom. N. Am. B. 1882, no. 539. — Coues, 
Check List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 623. 
Tringa cinclus, Linn. S. N. I. 1766, 251 (based on Briss. Orn. V. 1760, 211, pi. 19, fig. 1). 
“ Tringa pusilla, Gmel. S. N. I. 1788, 663” (Gray). 
Tringa ruficollis, Pall. Reise, III. 1776, 700. 
Numenius variabilis, Bechst. Naturg. Deutsclil. IY. 141. 
Pelidna Schinzii, Breiim. (var. ?) Not of American writers. 
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