612 GLEANINGS. 



The Red-breasted Sandpiper, Gray-back or Robin Snipe 

 (Tringa conutus), some 10.50 long, has the usual markings 

 of the Sandpipers above, but i's known by its brownish-red 

 breast, fading into white on the flanks. It is an abundant 

 migrant on the Atlantic Coast. 



The Buff -breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites rufescens), about 

 7.50 long, with a very short bill, is known by the delicate 

 pale reddish of the sides of the head, neck and under parts, 

 and by the fine cross-penciling of dusky or white on the 

 under side of the wing. It is generally distributed, but 

 not common in Eastern North America. 



The Long-billed Curlew or Sickle-bill (Numenius longiros- 

 tris), the total length of which is about 2 feet, and colored 

 somewhat like the Marbled Godwit, may always be known 

 by its long, downward-curved bill, 6 or 8 inches in length. 

 It is common to Eastern North America, and breeds in the 

 northwest. 



The Hudsonian Curlew (N. hudsonicus) , some 17 inches 

 long, color similar but paler than the former, ranks next in 

 size in this genus. It is chiefly a migrant in the United 

 States. 



The Esquimaux Curlew (N. borealis), several inches smaller 

 than the former, similar in color, has the peculiar bill, short 

 (less than 3 inches) for the genus. As indicated by its 

 name, it is but a migrant. 



The Ibises, somewhat resembling the Herons in form, are 

 birds of the south. The Wood Ibis (Tantalus loculator) is 

 about 4 feet long, the bill curved downward; the naked 

 head is wrinkled and bluish, legs blue, bill pale-greenish, 

 plumage white, except the tail and fore part of the wing, 

 which are black. The elegant Glossy Ibis (Ibis faldncllus) is 

 two feet long, " plumage rich, dark chestnut, changing to 

 glossy, dark green, with purplish reflections on the head, 



