CURLEW SANDPIPER. 

 Tringa ferruginea. 



Char. Bill long, slender, and decurved. Adult in summer-, upper 

 parts mottled black, gray, and rufous ; wings and tail ashy gray ; tail- 

 coverts pale buff barred with black ; under parts rich chestnut. Adult in 

 winter: upper parts grayish brown; tail-coverts white; under parts 

 white ; chest with a few indistinct streaks of gray. Young : like adult in 

 winter, but feathers of upper parts margined with buff; neck streaked 

 with brown. Length about 8% inches. 



Nest. On the margin of a lake or stream; a slight depression, lined 

 with dry grass. 



Eggs. — ?, " pale grayish or greenish buffy, spotted with deep brown, 

 etc.; 1.50 X 1.04" [Ridgway). 



Of this Species very little is known. It is found on the sea- 

 coast and by the borders of lakes, and is sometimes seen in the 

 interior of the countries it frequents. Like most species of the 

 genus, it is migratory in the spring and autumn, and at such 

 times proceeds in flocks along the coast or on the borders of 

 large rivers. The food of this bird is usually small insects 

 and worms, as well as the herbage of some of the sea-weeds 

 {Fiici). So wide are the devious wanderings of this cos- 

 mopolite pigmy that Temminck obtained a specimen from 



