ZOOLOGY. 239 



TRINGA ALPINA, Linn., var. AMERICANA, Cass. 



Red-backed Sandpiper. 



THnga alpina, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 17GG, 249— Wilson, Am. Dm. VII, 1813, 95; pi. Ivi.— Sw. F. B. Am. II, 18.31, 

 383.— NuTT. Man. II, 106.— Add. Orn. Bi"g. Ill, 1835,580; pi. 290— Ib. Syn. 234.— Ib. Birds 

 Amer. V, 1842, 266; pi. 332, var. Americana, Baird & Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, 719. 

 Tringa cinclus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 251.— Wils. Am. Orn. VII, 1813, 39; pi. ivii. 

 FioDREs.— Wilson, Am Orn. VII, pi. 7, fig. 3; pi. 56, fig. 2.— Aud. B. of Am. pi. 290; oct. ed. V, pi. 332. 

 Sp. Ch. — Bill longer than the head, wide at base, curved, slightly widened and flattened towards tlie end; nasal groove and 

 another groove in the under mandible long and very distinct; wings long; tail short, with the two middle leathers loni^est 

 and pointed; legs ratlier long and slender, lower half of the tibia naked; toes moderate, free at base, flattened underneath and 

 slightly marginated; claws much compressed, hind toe small. Upper parts yellowish red, mixed with ashy, and every feather 

 having a lanceolate, ovate or narrow spot in the centre, most numerous on the back and rump. Front, sides of the head, and 

 entire under parts, ashy white, nearly pure white on the abdomen and under tail coverts; a wide transverse band of (>lack across 

 the lower part of the breast; neck before and upper part of the breast with narrow longitudinal spots of brownish black. Under 

 wing coverts and axillary feathers white; quills light ashy brown, darker on their outer edges, with their shafts white; tail 

 feathers light ashy brown; middle feathers darker, outer nearly white. Bill and legs very dark brownish black. Sexes alike. 

 Ifinter pfuniogc — Entrie upper parts darK ashy, nearly black on the rump and upper tail coverts; throat, abdomen, axillaries, 

 and under wing coverts, white; breast pale ashy, with longitudinal lines of dark brown. 



Total length, 85 to 9 inches; extent, 15J to 16; wing, 5; tail, 24; bill from gape, \i ; tarsus, 1 inch. 

 Hab — Entire temperate regions of North America. 



This bird is very abundant on the salt marshes at the mouths of the rivers emptying into 

 Puget Sound, where the species is resident throughout the year. In habits they do not differ 

 from those recorded in NuttalFs ManuaL Early in the season, before they have been rendered 

 wild by being much shot at, I have observed that upon a volley being fired into a flock the 

 unharmed birds in terror sweep around in several circles, and hovering ''buirch," as the 

 sportsmen say, over their wounded companions, and sometimes realight with them. At the 

 moment of their hovering in a compact body over the wounded is the time generally seized to 

 fire the reserved barrels; two or three shots will frequentl}' bring down from thirty to sixty 

 birds, and I have known one instance where an officer of the army bagged ninety-six birds from 

 one discharge of his fowling piece. After being fired into once or twice the flocks, learning 

 to avoid sympathizing with their dead and wounded, become shy and war}'. At Puget Sound 

 this species is very fond of alighting in flocks upon the half-submerged drift logs which lie 

 stranded on the flats off the entrances of the Nisqually and other rivers, especially' at high 

 water, when the surrounding marshes and flats are generally covered. Upon these logs the 

 birds will sometimes lor hours sit compactly huddled together and motionless — perhaps for 

 the purpose of aiding the digestion of their food — perhaps simply because the high tide having 

 covered their feeding grounds they have learned by experience that the most philosophical plan 

 is "to take it easy," and await the subsidence of the waters. — S. 



The red-backed alpine snipe, or ox-bird, is common in the same season aud places as the 

 preceding species. — C. 



TRINGA MACULATA, Vie ill. 



•Jack Snipe. 



Tringa maculata, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. XXXIV, 1819, 465 —Baird & Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, 720. 

 Tring-optdoraHs, Sat, Long's Exped. I, 1823, 171.— Bon. Am. Orn. IV, 1832, 43; pi. xxiii.— Nutt. Man. II, III.— 



Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835 601; V, 582; pi. 294.— Ib. Syn. 233.— Ib. Birds Amer. V, 1842, 259; 



pi. 329. 



