SANDfiRLING PLOVER. 169 



legs, and naked part of the thighs, black; feet three-toed, each 

 divided to its origin, and bordered with a narrow membrane. 



Such are the most common markings of this bird, both of 

 males and females, particularly during the winter; but many 

 others occur among them, early in the autumn, thickly marked 

 or spotted with black on the crown, back, scapulars and tertials, 

 so as to appear much mottled, having as much black as white on 

 those parts. In many of these I have observed the plain gray 

 plumage coming out about the middle of October; so that, per- 

 haps, the gray may be their winter, and the spotted their sum- 

 mer, dress. 



I have also met with many specimens of this bird, not only 

 thickly speckled with white and black above, but also on the 

 neck, and strongly tinged on both with ferruginous; in which 

 dress it has been mistaken by Mr. Pennant and others for a new 

 species; the description of his " Ruddy Plover" agreeing exact- 

 ly with this. * A figure of the Sanderling, in this state of plu- 

 mage will be introduced in some part of the present work. 



* See Arct. Zool. p. 486, No. 404. 



VOL. III. 



