THE PURPLE SANDPIPER 165 



typical sailorman, thickset and heavy, more 

 compact in his build than any other of his fam- 

 ily which visits us. This may be because he 

 has not had to dodge shot and run from the 

 summer gunner all through the hot weather; 

 thus he gets a chance to put on flesh. 



Having seen them only in the winter, and 

 since they are taken here at no other season, it 

 may be best to describe them in the dress of that 

 season. Above, colored on the centres of the 

 feathers a deep bluish black with a purplish 

 gloss, the edges and tips of the the feathers blu- 

 ish ash. Greater, middle and lesser wing cov- 

 erts and scapulars white-edged. Primaries and 

 tail feathers dusky. Below, the throat and 

 breast bluish ash, this color extending along 

 the sides, paler and whitening on the edges of 

 the feathers. Remaining lower parts mainly 

 white. Legs and feet flesh-colored; bill about 

 one and one-quarter inches long, slightly down- 

 curved, dusky green with flesh-colored base. 

 The length of this bird is about nine inches ; ex- 

 tent from fifteen to sixteen inches. 



This species rarely goes much south of New 

 England, perhaps to the Middle States, and 

 though chiefly found on the seacoast is an oc- 

 casional visitor to the Great Lakes. 



