14 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



No. 3. Pectoral Sandpiper — Tringa Pectoralis ; Bonap.-— 



Vulgo, Meadow Snipe, 



Tringa pectoralis, Bonap. Syn. Pectoral Sandpiper, Tringa pectoralis, Nutt 

 Mann. Pectoral Sandpiper, Tringa pectoralis, Aud. Om. Biog. 



" Specific Character, — Bill sti'aight, base orange-green ; length 

 of tarsi one inch and one-sixteenth ; upper parts brownish-black 

 edged with reddish-brown; throat white; fore part of neck and 

 upper part of the breast light brownish-gray, streaked with 

 dusky ; rest of lower parts including the lower tail coverts white. 

 Adult with the bill straight ; top of the head dark-brown, inter- 

 mixed with black ; sides of the head, neck and a large portion of 

 the breast, grayish-brown, streaked with dusky ; chin white ; a 

 streak of dark-brown before the eye, continuing to the nostril — 

 directly above a faint line of white : back dark-brown ; feathers 

 margined with white ; primary quills dark-brown — shaft of the 

 first white ; outer secondaries slightly edged with white ; tail 

 feathers brown, margined with brownish-white — two middle 

 feathers darker, longest and more pointed ; lower part of the 

 breast, abdomen, and sides of the body, and under tail coverts 

 white ; feet dull-yellow ; tibia bare, about half the length. Fe- 

 male, the general plumage lighter. Length nine inches and a 

 half; wing five and a quarter. 



" During some seasons, this species is quite plentiful on the 

 shores of Long Island. It is generally overlooked by the gun- 

 ners, and I find that most of our sportsmen are not aware of 

 the claims it has to their attention. 



" In the spring I have never met with it in large numbers, and 

 from this circumstance I am inclined to the opinion that it pass- 

 es on to its breeding grounds with but little delay. In the latter 

 part of August it returns, and increased numbers appear on the 

 necks of land in the immediate vicinity of tide water, and are 

 also found in the islands in the bay. Although large numbers 

 are sometimes seen occupying the same feeding grounds, still 



