158 Eidgway on Macrorhamphus griseus, etc. 
true griseus being scarcely represented. Subsequent correspondence 
with Messrs. George N. and Newbold T. Lawrence, of New York 
City, both of whom were much interested in the subject, led to the 
exchange of specimens for examination, and I thus for the first time 
became autoptically acquainted with the Eastern bird. With this 
additional material to aid me, I have reviewed the matter, and the 
result is a perfect correspondence of my views with those of the gen- 
tlemen above named, as embodied in the preceding article, except 
that I cannot regard the . two forms as specifically distinct, since 
intermediate specimens do unquestionably occur, although they are 
exceedingly rare. 
The results of my later investigations may be briefly summarized 
as follows : — - 
(1.) That in Western North America specimens never occur which, 
in summer plumage, have the abdomen either whitish or speckled, 
or the sides speckled. 
(2.) That specimens marked as above are peculiar to the Atlantic 
coast (I have seen none from west of the Alleghanies), where they 
abound during the migrating season, in the proportion of about 
1,000 to 1 of scolopaceus (according to Mr. Lawrence, in epist.). 
(3.) That size and proportionate length of bill, legs, etc. is much 
more variable in both forms than is the coloration, scolopaceus 
averaging decidedly larger, however, than griseus. 
(4.) That young birds and those in winter plumage cannot with 
certainty be referred to either form, excepting that the very large 
individuals (those exceeding the maximum of griseus, as given below) 
are undoubtedly scolopaceus. 
These conclusions, I believe, agree in the main with Mr. Law- 
rence’s views concerning the two forms in question. Eollowing, X 
give a brief synonymy and diagnosis of the species in its two 
races. 
Macrorhamphus griseus. 
a. var. griseus. 
The Gray Snipe. 
Scolopax grisea, Gmel., S. N. I., 1788, 658 (based on the Brown Snipe 
of Pennant and Latham). 
Macrorhamphus griseus , Leach, Cat. Brit. Mus., 1816, 31. Cassin, in 
Baird’s B. N. Am., 1858, 712. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. B., 1859, No. 524. 
— Coues, Key, 1872, 253; Check List, 1873, No. 415; Birds N. W., 
1874, 476. 
159 
Eidgway on Macrorhamphus griseus, etc. 
Scolopax noveboracensis, Gmel., S. N., I, 1788, 658 (based on the Red- 
breasted Snipe of Pennant and Latham). — WiLS., Am. Orn., VII, 1813, 
45, pi. 58, f. 1 .— Sw. &B,ich., F. B. A., II, 1831, 398. — Aud., Orn. 
Biog., IV, 1838, 288, pi. 399; Synop., 1839, 249; B. Am., VI, 1843, 10, 
pi. 351. 
Scolopax (Macrorhamphus) grisea, Bonap., Synop., 1828, 330, No. 267. 
— Nutt., Man., II, 1834, 181. 
Scolopax puylcullii, Nilsson , Orn. Suec., II, 106. 
Totanus ferrugineicollis, Vieill., Enc., Meth., Ill, 1823, 1099 (based on 
the Red-breasted Snipe of Pennant and Latham). 
Hab. — Atlantic Coast of the United States, breeding farther north- 
ward. No specimens seen from west of the Alleghanies. 
b. var. scolopaceus, 
The Red-bellied Snipe. 
| Limosa scolopacea, Say, Long’s Exped., II, 1823, 170. 
Macrorhamphus scolopaceus, Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. Y., V, 1852, 4, pi. 1 
(Long Island). — Cass, in Baird’s B. N. Am., 1858, 712. — Baird, Cat. 
N. Am. B., 1859, No. 525. 
Macrorhamphus griseus, var. scolopaceus, Coues, Check List, 1873, No. 
415 a. 
Scolopax longirostris, Bell, Ann. Lyc. N. Y., V, 1852, 3. 
“ Macrorhamphus griseus” (part), Coues, Key, 1872, 253 ; B. N. W., 
1874, 476. 
Hab. — North America in general, but chiefly the western portions of 
the continent ; east to the Mississippi Valley, north to Alaska, and south 
to South America and the West Indies. Casual along the Atlantic coast 
of the United States. 
Sp. Ch. — About the size of Gallinago wilsoni, or larger. Bill long, 
compressed, flattened and expanded towards the end, where (in dried 
specimens) punctulated and corrugated. Shaft of first primary strong, 
pure white. 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 
with whitish ; a whitish superciliary stripe. Young, first plumage : Back, 
scapulars and tertials variegated black and light clay-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 indistinctly speckled with dusky. 
