BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 637 



Tlie beak is slender, and very slightly curved, three quar- 

 ters of an inch in length, and greenish black ; from the point 

 to the gape it measures one inch, and from the gape to the 

 occiput is also one inch : the iridcs hazel ; the feathers on 

 the top of the head dark brown, approaching to black, each 

 feather edged with very light brown, giving a mottled ap- 

 pearance ; the back of the neck light brown, the dark spots 

 formed by the centre of each feather minute ; the back very 

 dark brown, the extreme edges only of the feathers light 

 brown ; the wing-coverts brown ; the primaries nearly black, 

 tipped with white ; the shafts white ; the tertials brown, 

 edged with light brown ; upper tail-coverts brown, with 

 lighter coloured borders ; the tail cuneiform, the centre fea- 

 thers black, the shafts and edges lighter ; the feathers on 

 each side light brown, enclosed by a zone of black, and edged 

 with white ; the chin, sides of the neck, throat and breast, 

 light brown, tinged with buff; abdomen, flanks, and under 

 tail-coverts white, but pervaded also with the buff colour of 

 the higher parts ; the sides of the neck spotted, from the 

 dark centres of the feathers occupying a larger surface than 

 upon the front ; axillary plume pure white ; under surface 

 of the broad web of the primaries beautifully mottled with 

 dark specks ; under surface of the secondaries ending in 

 sabre-shaped points, presenting a series of lines formed by 

 alternating shades of white, black and dusky bands, which 

 in the adult bird are well defined, and present a beautifully 

 variegated appearance, peculiar to this species. The legs are 

 bare for half an inch above the joint ; the tarsus measures 

 one inch and one quarter ; legs and toes brown, the claws 

 black. Whole length of the bird about eight inches. From 

 the carpal joint to the end of the first quill- feather, which is 

 the longest, five inches and a quarter. 



