120 WADING BIRDS. 



The Pigmy Sandpiper is about 6 inches in length. — '- In the adult 

 tcinter plumage of this species, all the upper parts are cinereous, 

 and blackish-brown along the shafts of the feathers. Sides of the 

 breast ashy-rufous. A brown stripe between the eye and bill. Mid- 

 dle of the breast, throat, superciliary stripe, fore part of the neck, 

 all the lower parts, with the exception of the lateral feathers of 

 the upper tail coverts, white. Lateral tail feathers ashy-brown, 

 edged with white ; the 2 middle ones brown. Bill and feet brown- 

 ish-black, the former 8| lines long. — Summer plumage: with the 

 summit of the head black, varied with bright rufous. Cheeks, 

 sides of the neck, and of the breast, pale rufous, scattered with 

 small brown angular spots. Superciliary stripe, throat, middle 

 of the breast, and all the lower parts, white. Back, scapulars, wing 

 coverts, rump, and the 2 middle feathers of the tail, deep black, 

 all broadly bordered and tipt with bright rufous ; tlie lateral upper 

 tail coverts alone excepted, which are white, with isolated spots. 

 All the lateral tail feathers brown-ash, but edged with white. A 

 specimen killed in July, by Dr. Richardson, had the legs wax-yel- 

 low. — The young of the year very similar to those of the preceding 

 and following species ; the rufous borders of the feathers being paler, 

 and inclining in some parts to yellow. 



