216 TRINGA SUBARQUATA. 



green, darker towards the margins, and edged with white; the 

 fore part of the neck pah reddish, faintly streaked with dusky, 

 the rest of the lower parts white, as are the upper tail-coverts, 

 which are very narrowly tipped with dusky. 



Although description may fail in conveying a clear idea 

 of the differences between the Curlew-billed and the Black- 

 breasted Sandpiper, these birds are perfectly distinct, and 

 may easily be distinguished by one who has specimens to 

 compare. The present species is considerably larger, with 

 the bill, tarsi, and wings much longer, and in all stages has 

 the upper tail-coverts white, whereas most of them are black 

 in the other species. But, as it can very seldom be obtained 

 for comparison, long-billed individuals of the Black-breasted 

 Sandpiper are liable to be mistaken for it, in the winter 

 season, when the colours of the two species are very similar. 

 The idea of referring birds so closely allied to two different 

 genera, seems to me quite preposterous. 



Male in Winter. — Of a rather slender and elegant 

 form, with the body compact, the neck rather long, the 

 head rather small, ovate, compressed, and rounded above. 

 The bill is about half as long again as the head, higher than 

 broad at the base, tapering, compressed, straight for two- 

 thirds of its length, then considerably decurved, but not 

 more so in proportion to its length than in Tringa Cinclus. 

 Both mandibles are laterally grooved for three-fourths of 

 their length, with the edges rather thick, the tips slightly 

 enlarged and obtuse. On the roof of the mouth are two 

 series of large, hard, pointed papilla?, directed backwards. 

 The tongue is an inch and a quarter long, emarginate with 

 four papillae at the base, fleshy for a fourth of its length, then 

 horny, extremely slender, grooved above, compressed and 

 pointed. The oesophagus is three inches and three-quarters 

 in length, three-twelfths in width, uniform ; the proventri- 

 cular portion nine-twelfths long, with oblong glandules. The 

 stomach is elliptical, nine-twelfths in length, seven-twelfths 

 in breadth, with its muscular coat thick, its tendons large, 

 the epithelium dense, flesh-coloured, transversely rugous at 



