164 TRINGINjE. 



the plumage varying. Female without tubercles or orna- 

 mental feathers, the upper parts greyish-brown, glossed with 

 green, the fore-neck and breast paler. 



GENUS II. TRINGA. SANDPIPER. 



Bill not much longer than the head, nearly straight, 

 slender, soft, and somewhat flexible, with the ridge narrow, 

 but flattened toward the end, the narrow groove extending 

 nearly to the end, the tip slightly enlarged, and obtuse. 

 Nostrils small, linear, pervious, basal, sub-marginal. Legs 

 of moderate length, very slender ; toes four, small, the first 

 diminutive and very elevated, the outer two connected by a 

 very small basal web. Wings very long, pointed ; tail short, 

 o-enerallv doublv emarginate. 



1. Tringa Canutus. Ash-coloured Sandpiper. Bill a little 

 longer than the head, straight, its tip considerably dilated ; 

 tail even. In winter, ash-grey above, white beneath, the 

 neck and sides streaked with dusky. In summer, the back 

 glossy black, variegated with brownish red ; the fore-neck 

 and breast yellowish-red. 



2. Tringa pectoralis. Pectoral Sandpiper. Bill a sixth 

 longer than the head, scarcely deflexed at the end ; tail with 

 the middle feathers pointed and much longer than the 

 lateral, of which three on each side are equal. In winter, 

 the upper parts greyish-brown, streaked with dusky ; cheeks, 

 sides, and fore part of neck, with part of the breast and the 

 sides of the body, greyish-white, streaked with dusky, the 

 rest of the lower parts white. In summer, the feathers of 

 the upper parts brownish-black, broadly margined with 

 brownish-red ; the rump black ; the cheeks, neck, part of 

 the breast, and the sides brownish-grey, with larger streaks 

 of brownish-black. 



3. Tringa rufescens. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Bill not 

 longer than the head, straight ; tail with the middle feathers 

 considerably longer than the lateral, of which three on each 

 side are nearly equal. In summer, the upper parts blackish- 

 brown, each feather margined with greyish-yellow ; cheeks, 

 sides, and fore part of neck, with part of the breast and the 



