DUSKY REDSHANK TATLER. 329 



Male. — This species, which is of rare occurrence in 

 Britain, may be compared to the Grey Plover as to size, 

 although of a more slender form, having the body compact, 

 the neck rather elongated, the head oblong, compressed, 

 rounded above, and rather small. The bill is long, ex- 

 ceeding the head by about two-thirds, very slender, tapering, 

 compressed, and straight, or having a very slight inclina- 

 tion upwards. The upper mandible has the dorsal line 

 straight, the ridge convex, a little flattened at the base, 

 the nasal groove extending a little beyond the middle, 

 the sides then convex, the end enlarged in a very slight 

 degree, the tip narrowed, obtuse, and a little declinate. 

 The lower mandible with the intercrural space and lateral 

 grooves extending as far as the nasal grooves of the 

 upper, the dorsal line straight, the tip narrow and rather 

 acute. 



The nostrils are small, two-twelfths in length, linear, 

 basal. The eyes are also small, their aperture measuring 

 nearly three-twelfths. The legs are long and very slender ; 

 the tibia bare for nearly an inch; the tarsus compressed, 

 Avith about thirty anterior and a greater number of posterior 

 scutella. The hind toe is very small and elevated, with six 

 scutella ; the anterior toes rather short, distintly marginate, 

 flattened beneath, with two basal webs, of which the outer 

 is larger; the second toe with twenty scutella, the third 

 thirty, the fourth twenty-eight. The claws are small, com- 

 pressed, laterally grooved, slightly curved, acute. 



The plumage is very soft, blended, on the back and 

 wings compact and glossy ; the feathers oblong, narrow, 

 and rounded. The wings are long, pointed, with twenty- 

 five quills ; the primaries tapering, the first longest, the 

 second a little shorter, the rest rapidly decreasing; the 

 secondaries incurvate and rounded, the inner elongated and 

 tapering. The tail short, and doubly emarginate. 



The bill is brownish-black, with the basal half of the 

 lower mandible yellowish-red, and that of the upper similar, 

 but of a darker tint. The irides are brown. The feet 

 yellowish-red; the claws black. The upper part of the 

 head, the hind part and sides of the neck are dull light 



