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PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 
towards Actodromas , rather than to Tringa , and that A. Bonapartei is its nearest 
ally. While the actual proportions of the bill, tarsus, and toe of Tringa are 
preserved, the difference in length of the bill over the tarsus, and of the latter 
over the middle toe, is very trifling, and in the latter case, moreover, it is pro- 
duced by a slight lengthening of the tarsus rather than by any shortening or 
stoutening of the toes, which are long, slender, and slightly margined as in 
Actodromas proper. The claws are all long, slender, and slightly curved, while 
exactly the reverse is the case with Tringa. The tibiae are bare for a consider- 
ably greater extent, and the tibial feathers short. In the adults of Tringa these 
reach nearly to the joint. In the slight (though decided) double emargination 
of the tail, with its central feathers, but little different from the lateral, and in 
the pattern of the rump and upper tail coverts, there is shown a near approach 
to Tringa. The primaries are as in Tringa , but the elongated tertials are those 
of Actodromas. The stoutness of the bill and the position of the nostrils, are 
intermediate between the two, but the encroachment of the feathers is exactly 
that of A. Bonapartei. The coloration of the upper parts, except of the rump, 
is almost identical with that of Bonapartei , and that of the lower much nearer 
to it than to the adult T. canutus. 
From the above considerations, especially in reference to the indications af- 
forded by the legs, always important among the Tringece , we cannot but con- 
clude that the bird is Actodromas , rather than a true Tringa. Still we should 
hardly have ventured to change it from the position assigned by such high au- 
thority, had not Prof. Baird, in an attentive reexamination of the characters 
of the bird, acquiesced in our views, and expressed his entire approval of the 
course pursued. 
In view of the many peculiarities presented, it might perhaps have been ad- 
visable to consider the present bird, instead of the A. Bonapartei as typical of 
Heteropygia. But as the two are very closely allied, and both subgenerically 
distinct from Actodromas proper, we have preferred to give the common and 
well known bird as the type. 
The subject of the present article, is, with a single exception, we believe, the 
ouly known specimen of this excessively rare species. It is fortunately adult, 
having been taken in May. The changes of plumage it undergoes, and the 
extent of the variation to which it is subject, cannot therefore be given. They 
are, however, in all probability parallel with those of A. Bonapartei. 
u It is possible that this species may have been previously indicated under 
some of the names quoted as synonyms, such as Tringa noveboracensis , Ac., 
although, from the brevity of the descriptions, it is impossible to determine 
this point satisfactorily.” — (Baird.) 
Having thus passed in review the species of Tringece well ascertained to in- 
habit North America, it may be well to notice those attributed by authors to 
that country. As far as I am able to ascertain they are the following : 
Actodromas minuta Kaup. 
Tringa pusilla, Meyer. (Nec Linn. ; nec Bechst. ; nec Wils.) 
Tringa minuta , Leisler. Swainson, F. B. A. 1831, ii. 385. Nuttall, Manual, 
1834, ii. 119. 
It is not impossible that this species should occur in North America, or that 
there should exist a “ Pigmy” Sandpiper distinct both from the A. minutilla 
and the European species. Observation, however, does not as yet warrant the 
belief that such is the case. 
Actodromas Temminckii Bon. 
Tringa pusilla , Bechstein. (Nec Linn. ; nec Meyer ; nec Wils.) 
