384 SCOLOPACID.E. 



cockle lying open on the sands, and, when attempting to 

 feed on it, was caught by the cockle suddenly closing. 



The adult bird in its perfect summer plumage has the 

 beak black ; the irides brown ; top of the head a mixture 

 of black and ferruginous, the dark colour occupying the 

 centre of each feather; neck all round greyish -white 

 streaked with black ; feathers of the back, scapulars, and 

 tertials black, with rufous edges ; wing-coverts almost as in 

 winter ; these feathers appearing to be but little affected by 

 the seasonal assumi^tion of colour, and generally remaining 

 nearly the same throughout the year ; primaries greyish- 

 black with white shafts ; secondaries the same but edged 

 with white ; rump and upper tail-coverts a mixture of black 

 and ash-colour, partly tinged with ferruginous ; two middle 

 tail-feathers the longest, pointed, dark brown, with lighter- 

 coloured edges ; the others nearly uniform ash-grey ; chin 

 white, neck in front greyish-white streaked with black ; 

 breast mottled black and white ; vent, thighs, and under 

 tail-coverts white ; legs, toes, and claws black. 



In size there is considerable variation, but, as a rule, the 

 females are the larger, and have the longer bills. They are 

 naturally the heavier, weighing about 2 oz. against If, the 

 weight of the male. 



The whole length averages eight inches ; the beak varies 

 from an inch to an inch and a half. From the carpal joint 

 to the end of the first quill-feather, which is the longest in 

 the wing, four inches and five-eighths. 



Young birds of the year have the head and neck pale 

 brown ; the back, wing-coverts, and tertials a mixture of 

 black, dark brown, pale brown, and buft"; neck in front pale 

 brown, breast white, both spotted with dusky-brown ; beak 

 and legs brownish-black : from this state they change 

 gradually till they have assumed the plumage of their first 

 winter.* 



The adult bird in winter has the head, neck behind, 

 back, wing-coverts, and tertials nearly uniform ash-grey, 



* See Mr. C. M. Adamson's ' More Scraps about Birds,' pp. 11.') 120, for (some 

 interesting remarks upon the moult of the Dunlin. 



