198 HISTORY OF THE 



lower and beneath feathered much farther, or to the end of the nostrils; the in- 

 terspace of the rami entirely filled. Tail somewhat graduated, not half the 

 wing." 



Tryngites subruficollis (VIEILI,.). 



BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 

 PLATE XII. 



Migratory; rare. Arrive about the first of May; return early 

 in August. 



B. 540. R. 556. C. 641. G. 259, 92. U. 262. 



HABITAT. North America in general, especially the interior; 

 breeding in the Arctic regions; south in winter to southern South 

 America; occasionally in Europe. 



SP. CHAR. "Bill shorter than head, straight, compressed, narrow at the point; 

 nasal groove long; wings very long, the first quill longest; tertiaries rather 

 shorter; tail moderate or longer than usual in this group; legs rather long, 

 lower third of the tibia naked; toes free at base, flattened underneath, and 

 slightly margined; hind toe small. Upper parts pale and dull ochraceous, with 

 an ashy tinge; every feather with a large central, lanceolate, crescent-shaped, 

 or oblong spot of black, frequently with a glossy green tinge, especially on the 

 back and shorter tertials. Under parts light ochraceous or pale fawn color, 

 many feathers tipped with white, and paler on the flanks and abdomen, on the 

 breast with partially concealed small spots of black; axillary feathers white. 

 Quills with their outer webs light brown, inner webs ashy white, marbled with 

 black, and narrowly tipped with white; middle tail feathers brownish black; 

 outer feathers lighter, with transverse waved lines of black on the terminal half, 

 and tipped with white; under primary coverts beautifully marbled with black. 

 Bill greenish black; legs greenish yellow. Young: Generally similar, but the 

 upper parts with the black and fawn color less sharply contrasted, and each 

 feather with a conspicuous terminal border of white. Marbling on inner webs 

 of primaries and on under primary coverts much more minute and delicate than 

 in the adult. Bill dull olive green, dusky toward the point; iris hazel; feet dull 

 yellowish green; claws dusky." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus, Bill. 



Male 8.50 17.00 5.25 2.50 1.25 .75 



Female... 8.00 16.00 5.00 2.30 1.20 .70 



This widely-distributed species does not seem to be common 

 anywhere, except upon its breeding grounds. It is usually, like 

 the Bartramian, found upon the uplands, and is very similar in 

 its habits. Mr. Murdock gives the following interesting de- 

 scription of its breeding hahits at Point Barrow, Alaska: 



"This is an abundant summer resident, and was more plenty 

 in the season of 1883 than it was the year before. 



"They arrived both seasons in a body at about the same date 



