66 TRINGA CINEREA. 



219. TRIJfCA C1XEREA, WILSON. ASH-COLOURED SANDPIPER. 

 WILSON, PLATE LVII. FIG. II.* EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 



THE regularly disposed concentric semicircles of 

 white and dark brown that mark the upper parts of 

 the plumage of this species, distinguish it from all 

 others, and give it a very neat appearance. In activity 

 it is superior to the preceding; and traces the flowing 

 and recession of the waves along the sandy beach with 

 great nimbleness, wading and searching among the 

 loosened particles for its favourite food, which is a 

 small thin oval bivalve shell-fish, of a white or pearl 

 colour, and not larger than the seed of an apple. These 

 usually lie at a short depth below the surface; but in 

 some places are seen at low water in heaps, like masses 

 of wet grain, in quantities of more than a bushel together. 

 During the latter part of summer and autumn, these 

 minute shell-fish constitute the food of almost all those 

 busy flocks that run with such activity along the sands, 

 among the flowing and retreating waves. They are 

 universally swallowed whole; but the action of the 

 bird's stomach, assisted by the shells themselves, soon 

 reduces them to a pulp. If we may judge from their 

 effects, they must be extremely nutritious, for almost 

 all those tribes that feed on them are at this season 

 mere lumps of fat. Digging for these in the hard 

 sand would be a work of considerable labour, whereas, 

 when the particles are loosened by the flowing of the 

 sea, the birds collect them with great ease and dexterity. 

 It is amusing to observe with what adroitness they 

 follow and elude the tumbling surf, while at the same 

 time they seem wholly intent on collecting their food. 



The ash-coloured sandpiper, the subject of our pre- 

 sent account, inhabits both Europe and America. It 

 has been seen in great numbers on the Seal Islands 

 near Chatteaux Bay; is said to continue the whole 



* Is tte Tringa Icelandica, Linnaeus, in the winter dress. 



