SCOLOPACIDA. 389 
with small dusky centrals and shafts to each feather ; 
the upper edge of the wing-coverts, frontal edge and 
quills are dusky; the feathers of the tippet have the 
dusky central spots broadest; those of the back and 
wing-coverts are finely pencilled with dusky, and the 
tertials and greater wing-coverts have the peculiar 
triangular spots on their edges; the tail-feathers are 
narrowly barred with dusky and greyish ash; all 
the under parts are pure white; the legs and beak 
the same as in the summer plumage, but paler; iris 
dusky.” The change from winter to summer 
plumage does not appear to be produced by moult, 
but like the spring change of so many other birds, 
especially those of this family and of the Plovers, 
by a change in the colouring secretion of the 
feathers. 
The eggs are pear-shaped; “the ground-colour a 
very pale yellowish green, sprinkled all over with 
irregular spots of dark brown, intermixed with 
blotches of light purplish grey, the spots and espe- 
cially the blotches more numerous at the larger 
end.’’* 
BuaAckTAILED Gopwit, Limosa melanura. This 
bird is not mentioned by either Montagu or Yarrell 
as having occurred in this county, and I am myself 
only aware of one specimen having occurred, and 
that one was very nearly being overlooked, but 
* Yarrell, vol. ii., p. 667. 
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