664! 



SCOLOPACID.E. 



Young birds of the year, in tlieir first autumn, when able to 

 follow the parents to the coast, have the head and neck pale 

 brown ; the back, wing-coverts, and tertials a mixture of black, 

 dark brown, pale brown, and buff; neck in front pale brown, 

 breast white, both spotted with dusky brown ; beak and legs 

 brownish black : from this state they change gradually till 

 they have assumed the plumage of their first winter. 



The adult bird in winter has the head, neck behind, back, 

 wing-coverts, and tertials, nearly uniform ash grey, the centre 

 of each feather a little darker and the margin a little lighter ; 

 chin white ; neck in front greyish white with dusky streaks, 

 breast and under parts white ; beak and legs nearly black. 



The females, as in all the Sandpipers, larger than the 

 males, and the eggs are of large size compared to the size of 

 the birds, and particularly as compared to the eggs of land 

 birds. They produce, however, but one brood in the season. 



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