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444 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 
Total length, about eight and a half to nine inches; wing, five; tail, two anda 
quarter; bill, from gape, one and a quarter to one and a half; tarsus, one to one and 
a quarter inches; iris hazel. 
Hab. — Atlantic coast of the United States, rare; Europe; Asia; Africa. 
This is undoubtedly the most rare of all our shore birds. 
J found a single specimen in a bunch of Sandpipers shot on 
Cape Ann, in the autumn of 1865, for sale in the principal 
market in Boston. This is the only instance that has come 
to my own knowledge of its being found here. Audubon 
speaks of two; and other writers, of a few more in different 
years. 
TRINGA ALPINA var. AMERICANA, — Cassin. 
The Red-backed Sandpiper; Grass-bird. 
Tringa alpina, Linneus. Syst. Nat., I. (1766) 249. Wils. Am. Orn., VII. (1813) 
25. Nutt. Man., II. 106. Aud. Orn. Biog., III. (1835) 580. d., Birds Am., V. 
(1842) 266. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Bill longer than the head, wide at base, curved, slightly widened and flattened 
towards the end; nasal groove and another groove in the under mandible long 
and very distinct; wings long; tail short, with the two middle feathers longest and 
pointed; legs rather 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 hay- 
ing 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 tranverse band of black 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 brownish-black; sexes alike; iris dark-hazel. 
Winter Plumage. — Entire 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, eight to eight and a half inches; wing, five; tail, two and a quar- 
ter, bill, from gape, one and a half; tarsus, one inch. 
Hab. — Entire temperate regions of North America. 
This is a rather abundant species on our shores in the 
spring and autumn migrations. It appears here about 
the last week in April or first week in May, and frequents 
