GREEN-RUMP TATLER. 161 



cept when suddenly flushed, at which times it utters a sharp 

 whistle, like most of the other kinds to which it is related. 

 According to the observations of Mr. Ives (of Salem), the 

 Solitary Tatler swims and dives, with great facility, when 

 disabled from flying by a wound ; it even proceeds under the 

 water, like the Divers or Grebes, and is only overtaken by a 

 close pursuit. This species is allied to T. glarcola^ but, at 

 the same time, essentially distinct. 



The Green-Rump Tatler is about 8^ inches long. The bill from 

 above, about 1^ inches. Tarsus about the length of the bill. Hind 

 toe 3 lines. Summer jilti'Jnage of the adult. Upper parts, including 

 the central pair of tail feathers dark olive-brown, slightly glossed 

 with green, and interspersed with small marginal, angular, white 

 spots ; the lateral tail feathers and their coverts barred with black 

 and white ; the white bars being broadest on the former ; rump feath- 

 ers merely edged with white. Wings unspotted, except on the 

 margins of the tertiaries. Primaries, their coverts, and the anterior 

 border of the wing, deep brownish-black, with all the shafts of the 

 same brown color. — Under plumage white ; short stripe over the 

 eye whitish; sides of the head, front of the neck, and breast, streaked 

 with pale olive brown ; inside of the wings, and long axiliaries bar- 

 red with blackish-brown and white. Bill blackish-brown. Legs 

 and feet dusky-olive. Tail somewhat rounded laterally : in most of 

 our specimens there are white spots on the margins of the middle 

 tail feathers. In the adult? probably, these spots are obsolete or 

 wantinof. 



14* 



