THE RUFF. 135 



reddish. Iris brown. — Male. The female is one third smaller, the 

 plumage more cinereous, and the fore part of the neck is rarely pure 

 white. The bill black. The feet darker. — Tringa variegata, Brunn. 

 Orn. Boreal, p. 54. 



Summer and nuptial plumage of the male. With the face naked, 

 and covered with yellow or red warts. The occiput decorated with 

 long feathers ; a large ruiF composed of a range of showy feathers 

 ornaments the throat. These long feathers are ordinarily contrasted 

 with the rest of the plumage ; which is usually varied with rufous, 

 cinereous, black, brown, white, and yellowish; the feathers of the 

 ruff are also almost infinitely varied. The bill yellowish-orange. 

 The ruff varies in size according to the age of individuals. The 

 female or Reeve, is destitute of the ruff. At this season, the upper 

 parts are of a cinereous brown, mingled with some feathers of a 

 black, with reflections like polished steel. Throat and breast the 

 same, but paler. The vent and belly white. Bill black. Legs and 

 feet yellowish or greenish. 



The young of the year, have a near resemblance to the females in 

 winter dress, but the tints of the fore part of the neck and breast are 

 of a dull rufous-ash. The feathers of the head, back, scapulars, 

 and large wing coverts are blackish-brown, with wide rufous and 

 yellowish borders ; lesser wing coverts edged with rufous white. 

 Throat, vent, and abdomen pure white. Bill black. Legs greenish. 

 It is then, Tringa littorea, Gmel. Lath. T. grenovicensis, Ib. Teta- 

 nus cinereus, Briss. Le Chevalier varii. Buff. Ois. vii. p. 507. PI. 

 Enlum, 300. Gambetta tale, Storr. deg. ucc. v. p. 465. 



Subgenus. — *Heteropoda.. 



With the bill straight, rather enlarged and punctate at the ex- 

 tremity : the tarsus of moderate length, and the 3 anterior toes all 

 connected at base by a membrane, the outer to the middle toe as far 

 as the first articulation. — Peculiar to America. 



