BEOAD-BILLED SANDPIPER. 43 



unable to fly the last week in the following month. The 

 nest is placed in a hummock of grass. 



The eggs are, in general, of a deep chocolate colour, 

 sometimes spotted and mottled with a darker shade of the 

 same. They are four in number. 



Male; length, not quite six inches and a half; the bill, 

 which is 'par excellence,' and that no doubt literally, for, as 

 in all such cases, it is sure to be adapted and best adapted 

 to the peculiar individuality and idiosyncrasy of the bird, its 

 separate and appropriate characteristic, is dark brown towards 

 the point, and inclining to reddish brown at the base; from 

 it a dark brown streak goes back to the eye, and over it 

 and extending over the eye a white one with a brown central 

 longitudinal line. Iris, brown; head on the crown, brownish 

 black slightly varied with greyish white, and tinged with 

 ferruginous; neck on the sides and in front, greyish white 

 varied with black spots, and tinged with buff red; chin, 

 nearly white, with minute white specks; throat and breast 

 on the upper part, greyish white with black spots, and tinged 

 with buft' red; below white. Back on the lower part, black 

 with broad buff white or rufous margins to the feathers. 



The wings have the first quill feather the longest; greater 

 and lesser wing coverts, black with wide buff white or rufous 

 edges to the feathers; primaries and secondaries, black with 

 white shafts; tertiaries, black, the feathers broadly margined 

 with buff white or rufous. The tail is ash grey, with buff 

 margins to the feathers, except the two middle ones, which, 

 longer also than the others, are nearly black, and tipped and 

 margined with rufous; upper tail coverts, black with rufous 

 edges; under tail coverts, white. Legs and toes, greenish 

 black. 



The engraving is from a drawing by J. Gatcombe, Esq. 



