BAY SNIPE. 11 



and steer for the North, where it passes the season of reproduc- 

 tion ; about the middle of August it returns with its young, 

 when the change of plumage is quite visible — the abdomen at 

 this time is white, the breast pale rufous. Late in September 

 it moves -southward; at this period the lower plumage is white, 

 spotted on the neck, breast and flanks with dusky ; the upper 

 plumage ash-gi-ay ; in this dress it is the ' White Robin Snipe' 

 of our gunners. 



" In the autumn it generally frequents the inner beach, and is 

 sometimes observed along the surf, collecting minute marine 

 productions that are cast on the shore by the waves. In the 

 fall it is more timid than it is in the spring, frequently passing 

 within hearing of the fowler's treacherous whistle, without ap- 

 proaching his decoy. In the spring its lower plumage resem- 

 bles the Red-breasted Thrush, or Robin — Turdus migratoriits — 

 from which it receives its name. Common to both continents, 

 and is said to lay four eggs." 



No. 2. Red-Backed Sandpiper — Tringa Alpina; Linn. — 

 Vulgo, Black-breasted Plover. 



Tringa alpina, Red-backed Sandpiper, Wils. Tringa alpina, Bonap. Syn. 

 Tringa alpina, American Dunlin, Sw. & Rich. Dunlin or Oxbird, Nutt 

 Man. Red-backed Sandpiper, Tringa Alpina, Aud. 



" Specific Character. — Bill about one-third longer than the 

 head, bent toward the end ; length of tarsi one inch. Adult with 

 the bill black, one-third longer than the head, slightly bent toward 

 the end, and rather shorter than that of T. Suharquata ; upper 

 part of the head, back and scapulars chestnut-red, the centre of 

 each feather black, which color occupies a large portion of the 

 scapulars ; wing coverts and quills grayish-brown ; the bases 

 and tips of the secondaries, and part of the outer webs of the 

 middle primaries, white ; forehead, sides of the head, and hind- 

 neck, pale reddish-gray, streaked with dusky ; fore-neck and 

 upper pai't of breast, grayish- white, streaked with dusky; on 

 the lower part of the breast a large black patch ; abdomen 



