TRINGIJOE. CALIDRIS. 65 



second a little shorter than fourth, all marginate and scu- 

 tellate ; claws small, curved, compressed, obtuse. Wings 

 very long and pointed, of twenty-five quills ; primaries ta- 

 pering, the first longest ; one of the inner secondaries not 

 much shorter when the wing is closed ; tail short, of twelve 

 narrowed feathers, and somewhat doubly emarginate. 



176. CALIDRIS ARENARIA. SANDERLING. 



This bird varies so much in colour that scarcely two indi- 

 viduals can be found precisely alike. In winter the bill is 

 black, the iris dusky, the feet greenish-black ; the upper part 

 of the head, hind part and sides of the neck, and the back, pale 

 grey, each feather with a dark medial streak ; the forehead, 

 cheeks, fore part of neck, and all the lower parts pure white ; 

 the primary quills and coverts greyish-black, secondary quills 

 paler, inner secondaries light grey, primary and secondary 

 coverts tipped with white ; all the quills white at the base, 

 that colour extending from the first primary to the tenth 

 secondary, which is entirely white ; tail-feathers grey, mar- 

 gined with white. In summer the upper parts light red, 

 spotted with black; cheeks, neck, fore part of breast, and 

 sides, greyish-red, streaked with black ; the rest of the lower 

 parts white. The young have the upper parts black, varie- 

 gated with yellow and white, the lower white. 



Male, 7f, 16, 5,V, 1, |i, T \, T ' . Female, 8, 17. 



The Sanderlings appear on our northern coasts in the be- 

 ginning of September, gradually increase, collect into large 

 bands, and frequent the sandy shores and muddy estuaries, 

 often mingling with Dunlins and other small species. In 

 winter they are dispersed over all our shores. They run with 

 great celerity, fly with rapidity, often inclining to either side ; 

 search the snores, usually along the water's edge, for small 

 mollusca and worms ; become extremely fat in the end of 

 autumn, and afford delicate eating. In the end of spring 

 they betake themselves to the arctic countries, where they 

 breed; and, although individuals may be seen on various 

 parts of the coast in summer, it does not appear that any 

 nestle with us. 



Sand Lark. Curwillet. Towilly. Ox-bird. 



Tringa arenaria, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 255. Charadrius Ca- 

 lidris, Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 741. Calidris arenaria, Temui. 

 Man. d'Ornith. ii. 524. Calidris arenaria, Sauderling, Mac- 

 Gillivray, Brit. Birds, iv. 



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