96 WADING BIRDS. 



from the north, where they feed on various kinds of berries^ 

 still continue their fondness for this kind of food, and now 

 frequent the uplands and pastures in quest of the fruit of 

 the bramble, particularly dew-berries, on which they get so 

 remarkably fat, at times, as to burst the skin in falling to 

 the ground, and are then superior in flavor to almost any 

 other game bird of the season. In the market of Boston, 

 they are seen as early as the 8th of August, having already 

 raised their brood, and proceeded thus far towards their 

 winter quarters. 



This species is about 25 inches in length ; 3 feet 3 inches in alar 

 extent; and in good order, it weighs about 30 ounces. The bill 

 is about 7 inches long, brownish-black, purplish flesh-color, be- 

 low towards the base. Tongue extremely short. Eye dark. Upper 

 plumage blackish-brown, spotted and interruptedly barred with dif- 

 ferent shades of rufous buff. Chin, line over the eye, and around 

 it, brownish- white, in the latter spotted with dusky brown; neck 

 pale whitish buff, streaked with black. Belly, thighs, and vent, 

 rufous white, without spots. Primaries, brownish-black, on the 

 outer edges, pale rufous on the inner, and barred with black ; shaft 

 of the 1st quill white ; the rest of the wing, pale reddish brown, 

 barred with waving lines of dusky; lining of the wingmuclrbrighter 

 than the rest of the lower plumage, salmon rufous, sparingly spotted 

 with blackish ; tertiaries paler, narrowly and faintly barred with 

 dusky : long axiliaries plain, or with a few remote, dusky marginal 

 specks. Tail rounded, pale rufous, with about 10 dusky brown bars. 

 Ijegs and naked thighs, pale grej-ish-blue, or lead color. The lighter 

 colors are much brighter and more extensive in the young than in 

 old birds. 



