TEMMINCK'S SANDPIPER. 233 



long ; anterior toes rather long, slender ; claws moderately 

 arched, rather acute. 



The plumage very soft and blended ,• the feathers on the 

 back ovato-oblong, and rather compact. The wings very 

 long, with twenty-five quills, the first primary longest, the 

 rest rapidly graduated ; the secondaries incurved, the inner 

 very elongated and tapering. The tail is short, with the 

 middle feathers elongated and tapering, the outermost feather 

 on each side shorter than the next. 



The bill is black ; the feet greenish-brown. The feathers 

 of the upper parts blackish-brown, bordered with reddish- 

 brown ; the sides of the head and neck pale-grey ; the fore 

 part of the neck pale brown, steaked with dark brown ; chin 

 and lower parts white, as are the axillar feathers ; primaries 

 dusky-brown, with white shafts; outer secondaries greyish- 

 brown, tipped with white ; the elongated inner secondaries 

 like the back. Tail-coverts dusky-brown, as are the middle 

 tail-feathers, the rest ash-grey, the outer three on each side 

 nearly white. 



Length to end of tail 5-^- inches ; wing from flexure 3^ ; 

 bill -^y ; bare part of tibia -^ ; tarsus -^5- ; middle toe -f^, its 

 claw -frr. 



In Summer. — According to M. Temminck, all the 

 feathers of the upper parts deep black in the middle, with a 

 broad border of a deep red ; forehead, fore part of the neck 

 and breast reddish-grey with very small longitudinal black 

 spots ; throat lower parts and lateral tail feathers pure white, 

 the two middle feathers of the tail blackish-brown, bordered 

 with deep red. 



Habits. — Very little has to be stated under this head. 

 It is said to breed in the arctic regions ; M. Nilsson says on 

 the shores of the seas of northern Europe, but this is very 

 improbable. It is seen on its vernal and autumnal migra- 

 tions in Germany, France, and Switzerland. Specimens 

 have been received from India and its archipelago. No 

 doubt it runs, flies, feeds, and breeds very much in the 

 manner of several other Tringas ; but, although a probable 



