126 NOTES ON THE 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill rather longer than head, compressed, slightly depressed, 

 and expanded at the tip; nasal groove long; wings long; legs 

 rather long; tibia with nearly its lower half naked; toes free 

 at base, flattened underneath, and slightly margined; tail rather 

 short; middle feathers pointed; entire upper part brownish - 

 black, all the feathers edged and tipped with ashy and brown- 

 ish red; rump and upper tail coverts black, some of the outer 

 feathers of the latter edged with white; line from the bill over 

 the eye ashy- white; throat, abdomen, under wing coverts, axil- 

 liary feathers, and under tail coverts white; breast and neck 

 before, ashy white, all the feathers darker at the base and 

 with partially concealed lanceolate or pointed spots of brown- 

 ish-black; quills brownish -black; shaft of first primary white, of 

 the others brown; secondaries tipped and edged with white; 

 tertiaries edged with dull reddish-yellow; bill and feet dark 

 greenish- black. 



Length, 9; wing, 5.25; tail, 2.50; bill to gape, 1.12; tarsus, 1. 



Habitat, North America. 



TRINGA BAIRDII (Coues) (241.) 



BAIRD'S SANDPIPER. 



In the spring of 1875, Dr. T. S. Roberts stated that he had 

 obtained several specimens of this species, since which time 

 they have been collected by different parties on many occasions. 

 Mr. J. Ransom of Pelican lake, has sent several in the flesh, 

 all of which were spring birds, in good plumage. 



There is no doubt of their habitual migrations through the 

 State, and in considerable numbers in the fall, reaching the 

 upper counties early in August, and passing on below, in the 

 latter part of September. 



They are said to breed in Alaska. The description of the 

 species, of the habits of which I know nothing, I quote from 

 "Birds of the Northwest" by Coues. Adult Male. "Bill 

 wholly black, small and slender, slightly shorter than the 

 head, just as long as the tarsus, or as the middle toe and claw, 

 slightly expanded or lancet shaped at the end, the point acute; 

 grooves long, narrow, deep; feathers on side of lower mandible 

 evidently reaching further than those on upper. Upper parts 

 brownish-black (deepest on the rump and middle upper tail 

 coverts, and lightest on the neck behind), each feather bor- 

 dered and tipped with pale brownish-yellow, the tipping of the 

 scapulars broader and nearly white, their margining broad and 

 brightest in tint, making several deep scollops towards the 

 shafts of the feathers. Only the outer series of upper tail 



