LONG LEGGED SANDPIPER. 139 



we believe, a summer resident in the high boreal latitudes, 

 at this season of the year, can only be accounted for on 

 the supposition of their being driven south by some storm 

 or uncommon spell of severe and cold weather, as they 

 could not have bred, at so early a period of the summer. They 

 might probably, however, have been barren birds, who had 

 never proceeded to the north that season. In the month of 

 May, it is easy to suppose the occurrence of a straggler on 

 the way to its natal regions. 



The length of this species is about 9^ inches. The bill black, 

 subarched, about 1 inch and 8 lines long. Wings 5^ inches long. 

 The crown grey, mixed with whitish and blackish, the feathers with 

 slight ferruginous margins. A broad whitish line over the eye ; lores 

 dusky ; auriculars pale rust color. The neck above and its sides 

 mixed with whitish. Back and scapulars brownish black, tipt with 

 grey, and marked with pale rusty. Rump grey, the upper tail coverts 

 white, with black bands. Throat soiled white, faintly dotted with 

 blackish. Under plumage, including the tail coverts whitish, each 

 feather banded with blackish, with one of the bands terminal. Wing 

 coverts dusky -brown, with paler margins ; the under coverts marbled 

 with dusky-brown and whitish. Primaries blackish-brown, shaft of 

 the first white ; secondaries pale dusky, edged with whitish. Tail 

 grey, even, 2 inches long, the 2 middle feathers projecting beyond 

 the rest ; the outer on each side is also somewhat longer than the 

 others ; the whole are pale dusky with white shafts, the white spread- 

 ing somewhat along the middle, but particularly at the base, where 

 all the feathers, but the middle ones, are white, as well as the 2 outer 

 likewise on the greater part of their inner vanes. The feet black ; 

 legs very long : naked space on the tibia 1^ inches. Tarsus 1| inches. 

 Middle toe about an inch, nearly, without the nail. All the fore toes 

 are equally half- webbed. 



