248 TRINGIN^. 



side of the upper mandible ; orbital feathers white ; chin and throat 

 white ; neck in front and behind, and breast ochreous white, the 

 feathers with a dark central longitudinal streak ; flanks, axillaries and 

 under wing-coverts white, barred with pale brown, as also are the rump 

 and upper tail-coverts ; tail brown, brownish white or grey brown, 

 with 6 — 7 bars of dark brown; lower back white ; upper back, scapulars 

 and wing-coverts dusky or deep brown, the feathers edged pale white 

 or dirty fulvous ; primaries dusky or dark brown, their inner webs 

 as well as both webs of the secondaries with white bars, not reaching 

 the shaft. 



Affects the same situations as the curlew, in small flocks. In the 

 Kurrachee harbour it is oftener seen than the curlew, and is more shy and 

 difficult to approach, but unlike the curlew it is often seen on open 

 barren tracts, or sandy flats, far inland, in flocks of 3, 4 or half a dozen. 

 It is common all along the sea coast, mud banks and sandy islands of 

 estuaries of rivers, or of the sea, and like the curlew is a fine bird for 

 the table ; Jerdon says it is pei-haps better than the curlew, and has 

 been called the " Woodcock " of Bengal. 



Sub-Family, TRINGIN^,— Stints, &c. 



Bill rather long, flat and wide, keeled near the tip, somewhat 

 flexible ; nostrils in a groove extending two-thirds the length of the 

 bill ; wings long ; toes divided or narrowly webbed. 



Gen. Philomachus— ^oe/w. 



Bill straight; first and second quills of wing longest; outer too 

 united as far as the first joint ; hind toe short and elevated. 



Philomachus pugnax, Lin.; P. E. 300, 305, 306; Gould. B. Eur. 

 pi. 328; Jerd. B. Ind. iii. p. 687; 8tr. F. i. 239; iv. 17; Murray, 

 Hdbk., ZooL, Sj-c., Sind, p. 219. — The Ruff — Female, Reeve. 



In winter the plumage of these birds is very variable, the upper 

 parts are from pale earthy to rich brown, the feathers with black or dark 

 brown central spots and fulvous edges ; the head, nape and neck be- 

 hind paler ; chin and throat white ; neck in front and breast pale earthy 

 or grey bi'own, the feathers margined at the tip with white; abdomen, 

 vent and under tail-coverts white; primaries dark brown; secondaries 

 paler, edged and margined at the tip with white; greater coverts 

 tipped white, forming a wing band; the lesser and median ones black, 

 edged with rufous or reddish brown, also the greater coverts in 

 some stages. The plumage is so variable, that out of 50 skins or more, 

 no two bii'ds would be found alike. During summer or in their breeding 

 plumage the males acquire a ruff, which is very variously coloured 

 and stands erect behind the head, the face is covered with reddish tuber- 

 cles and the upper parts and breast marked with transverse bars. 



Length. — 12 to 12"5 inches, wing 7*25, tail 2*5, bill at front I'S, 

 tarsus 2. 



Bill dusky ; irides brown ; legs fleshy yellow. 



