208 AVES GRALLATORES. [TRINGA. 



T. pugnax, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. H. p. 631. Ruff, Mont. Orn. 

 Diet. $ Supp. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 75. Selb. Illust. 

 vol. n. p. 130. pi. 25. 



DIMENS. Entire length twelve inches five lines : length of the bill 

 (from the forehead) one inch six lines, (from the gape) one inch six 

 lines; of the tarsus one inch ten lines; of the tail two inches eight 

 lines ; from the carpus to the end of the wing seven inches five lines. 



DESCRIPT. (Male, during the breeding season.) Face nake*d, covered 

 with warty pimples of a reddish yellow colour : sides of the occiput 

 adorned with two tufts of elongated feathers : beneath the throat a large 

 frill or ruff of similar feathers standing out in a very conspicuous manner ; 

 colours of the ruff extremely variable, changing occasionally even in the 

 same individual in different seasons ; yellowish white, barred with black ; 

 or entirely black, glossed with purple ; in some, of a uniform yellowish 

 brown; in others, pure white; or varied with black, white, and yellow : 

 upper parts of the body likewise variable, in general presenting a mix- 

 ture of cinereous brown, yellowish white, reddish brown, and black : sides 

 of the breast and Hanks pale reddish brown, with transverse black bars, 

 sometimes entirely black ; middle of the belly, abdomen, and under tail- 

 coverts, white : quills dusky : the four middle tail-feathers barred with 

 black; the rest of a uniform colour: bill yellowish orange: legs yellow. 

 (Male in autumn and winter.) Face feathered : no elongated tufts on 

 the occiput, or frill on the neck : throat, fore part of the neck, belly, and 

 other under parts, pure white ; or stained and mottled with black ; some- 

 times black, with transverse undulating white lines: breast reddish 

 brown, with spots of a deeper tint : upper plumage variable, generally 

 brown with black spots, the feathers edged with reddish ; greater coverts,, 

 and middle tail-feathers, barred with black and reddish brown : bill 

 brownish: legs yellowish brown. (Female or Reeve.) Smaller: at all 

 times without the ruff and occipital tufts: upper parts of the body 

 cinereous brown, mixed with black, the black glossed with steel blue; 

 neck and breast the same, but paler; belly and abdomen white: bill 

 black: legs yellowish. (Young of the year.) Very much resembling 

 the female in winter plumage, but with the fore part of the neck and 

 breast of a dull reddish ash ; the feathers on the head, back, scapulars, 

 and greater wing-coverts, dusky brown, broadly edged with reddish 

 yellow; lesser coverts edged with reddish white: throat, belly, and ab- 

 domen, pure white : bill black : feet greenish. (Egg.) Olive, blotched 

 and spotted with clove and liver-brown : long. diam. one inch seven 

 lines; trans, diam. one inch one line and a half. 



A migratory species, arriving early in the Spring, and departing in 

 September. Rather locally distributed. Principally confined to the 

 marshes of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and the Isle of Ely. Males very 

 pugnacious during the breeding season. Nest usually placed on a has- 

 sock of grass, in the most swampy situations. Eggs four in number, laid 

 in the first or second week of May. Towards the end of June, or begin- 

 ning of July, the ruff on the neck of the male bird begins to fall. Food, 

 insects and worms. Obs. The Shore Sandpiper, Greenwich Sandpiper, 

 and Equestrian Sandpiper of Latham, are all referable to this species in 

 different states of plumage. 



(2. THING A, Selb.) 



204. T. subarquata, Temm. (Pigmy Curlew.) Bill 

 slightly bent down, much longer than the head : the two 



