238 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



THE BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 



Tringa rufescens. 

 plate lxxxvii. fig. 197. 

 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



T. rufuscens. Vieil. Gal. Ois. de l'Am. Vol. 2, p. 105, pi. 238. Id. Nouv. Diet. 2d Ed. Vol. 34, p. 470. Yarxeix,. 

 Linn. Tr. Vol. 16, p. 109, pi. 11. Selby, Must. Vol. 2, p. 142, pi. 27, fig. 1. Ndttall, 

 Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 113. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 5. p. 264, pi. 331. Giraud, Birds of 

 Long island, p. 230. 



Characteristics. Bill small, slender, shorter than the head. Tail cuneate ; the outer fea- 

 thers light brown edged with white. Rump blackish above, varied with 

 black and rufous ; beneath buff. Length, 8" 5. 



Description. Bill nearly straight, 0'9 long, slightly curved, attenuated towards the tip, 

 which is slightly enlarged, polished and depressed : lower mandible feathered beneath for 

 nearly one half its length. Naked space of tibia 0' 6. Middle toe with its nail, and the bill, 

 subequal : hind toe very small. 



Color, in a specimen shot on Long island, September 24. Frontlet, sides of the head, 

 neck, breast, belly, vent and under tail-coverts light buff ; very little paler on the belly and 

 vent. Crown dusky, streaked with greyish rufous ; the centre of the feathers being black, 

 and the margins rufous. Nape rufous, minutely and sparsely streaked with brown. Uppei 

 tail-coverts, and the two central tail-feathers, black bordered with rufous ; lateral tail-feathers 

 light brown, bordered with dusky and tipped with white. Secondaries mottled in undulating 

 lines, in the same manner with the primaries. 



Length, 8-0 -9*0. 



This is a northern species, rarely seen south of New- York, although its first describer ob- 

 tained his specimen from Louisiana. It is not common here, although occasionally found in 

 the markets of New-York for sale. It has been seen in Ohio. It has been accidentally found 

 in Europe. Its history is incomplete. 



