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brown, margined with white ; primary cdverts black, tipped with 

 white ; secondary coverts grayish-brown, margined with white. 

 Young with the upper parts grayish-brown, the feathers with central 

 dusky streaks, a narrow line of cinnamon color toward their mar- 

 gins, which are dull white ; the lower parts ash-gray. Length of 

 adult ten inches, wing six and three quarters. 



This species is familiar to our gunners by the name of Robin 

 Snipe. In the great South Bay, Long Island, where those immense 

 salt marshes are separated by creeks and channels, a number of 

 beautiful Islands appear, differing in size and form, each having an 

 appropriate name ; they form quite an interesting feature in the ge- 

 ography of the Island ; there the Red-breasted Sandpiper, during 

 its short stay in the spring takes up its abode. Shortly after daylight 

 it commences its daily labor in search of food, visiting the 

 shoal ponds that abound with small shell fish, on which they chiefly 

 subsist. The wily gunner, eager to profit by the ready sale of 

 this superior bird, makes early preparation to receive them ; lying 

 concealed near their favorite haunts, by imitating their peculiar note, 

 he thins their ranks by bringing them within reach of his well di- 

 rected gun. 



At the period for migrating this species assemble in flocks and 

 steer for the North, where it passes the season of reproduction ; 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-gray ; 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 pro- 

 ductions 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 hear- 

 ing of the fowler's treacherous whistle, without approaching his 

 decoy. In the spring its lower plumage resembles the Red -breasted 

 Thrush or Robin, (Tardus migratorius,) from which it receives its 

 name. Common to both continents, and is said to lay four eggs. 

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