DUNLIN. 187 



The female Dunlin is, on an average, a slightly larger bird than the male, 

 but it is not known that there is any difference between them in the colour 

 of the plumage. In the adult in breeding -plumage the feathers of the 

 crown of the head and the mantle are black, with rich bright chestnut 

 margins, and the scapulars are black, not only margined but also mottled 

 with chestnut ; the feathers of the nape, wing-coverts, rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts remain practically in winter plumage, being greyish brown 

 with dark centres, a few feathers only, especially on the rump, being 

 moulted in spring, when they appear with chestnut margins. The colour 

 of the wings and tail is almost the same as in the Purple Sandpiper ; the 

 quills and the two centre tail-feathers are dark brown, the remaining 

 tail-feathers are greyish brown, and a white bar across the wing (varying 

 considerably in individuals) is conspicuous during flight, formed by the 

 white tips of the greater wing-coverts and the white bases of the secon- 

 daries, some of the innermost of which are entirely white. The throat, 

 breast, and sides of the neck are greyish white, each feather with a nearly 

 black centre ; the axillaries, under wing-coverts, flanks, and vent are nearly 

 pure white, and the belly is nearly black. Bill, legs, feet, and claws 

 black ; irides hazel. 



After the autumn moult the general appearance of the bird is entirely 

 changed, but the colour of the wings, wing- coverts, innermost secon- 

 daries, rump, upper tail-coverts and tail, axillaries, under wing-coverts, 

 flanks, and under tail-coverts remain the same. The head, nape, mantle, 

 and scapulars are grey, the feathers having obscure paler margins and 

 darker centres ; whilst the whole of the underparts are pure white, except 

 a few obscure streaks on the sides of the neck, on the upper breast, and 

 on the sides of the lower breast. Young in first plumage somewhat 

 resemble birds in breeding-plumage, but the rich chestnut margins 

 of the feathers of the upper parts are replaced by chestnut, buff, and 

 white, and extend to the feathers of the rump, the upper tail-coverts, 

 the wing-coverts, and the innermost secondaries. The general colour 

 of the underparts is white suffused with buff, and spotted with black 

 on the breast and flanks. Birds of the year resemble adults in winter 

 plumage, but retain the wing-coverts, innermost secondaries, rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts of the young in first plumage. After its first spring 

 moult the Dunlin resembles the Knot and the Curlew Sandpiper in having 

 the greater portion of the chestnut of the upper parts replaced by white, 

 which abrades during summer, causing the back to be very dark in colour. 

 Young in down have the upper parts reddish brown, mottled with black 

 and sprinkled with buff, and have the underparts buffish white. 



American ornithologists imagine that the Dunlins on their continent are 

 larger birds, with longer bills and wings and redder backs in summer 

 plumage, than our birds, and that therefore they should be regarded as 



