382 BONAPARTE'S SANDPIPER. 



HABITS. 



The Pectoral Sandpipers, known to many as Grass Birds, arc common autumnal mi- 

 grants along our coast, frequenting the marshes and feeding about the pools or on the flats 

 in the grass. They are not shy birds as a rule and will often lie close and start suddenly, 

 like the common Snipe; hence, they are sometimes called Jack Snipe. The note is a rath- 

 er feeble whistle and their flight is swift and eccentric. They appear from the North late 

 in July and remain until October, then reappear in May but are not common at this season. 

 These birds seem to be quite uncommon in the Southern States below New Jersey and I do 

 not now recall an instance of their capture in Florida, nor do I think that any remain in the 

 United States during winter. They are said to breed in Labrador and northward but I 

 have never met with a well authenticated egg. 



TRINGA FUSCICOLLIS. 



Bonaparte's Sandpiper. 

 Trirujafuscicollis VIEILL., Nouv. Diet., XXXIV; 1819, 461. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cn. Size, rather small. Form, slender. Bill, slender and but slightly widened at tip. Toes, without basal mem- 

 brane. Tongue, not long, white in color, thin and narrow, tapering gradually toward tip which is rounded and the sides 

 of the terminal portion are provided with very tine cilia, while the liyoid bones are curved upward behind the occiput. The 

 outer marginal indentations are more than twice as deep as inner; botli are narrow and inclosed in the adult. 



COLOR. Adult in summer. Above, dark-brown, every feather, excepting primaries, bordered with ashy-yellow and 

 yellowish-rufous, the latter color being more prominent on top of head, on a spot behind eye, and on back. Sides of head, 

 neck all around, and sides, pale yellowish-ash, finely streaked with dark-blown. Line from bill over eye and remaining 

 under portions, pure white. 



Adult in winter. Ashy above, with the centers of the feathers dusky. White, beneath, and more finely streaked than 

 in summer, otherwise similar. 



Youny. Similar to the winter adult but show considerable rufous above and are more finely streaked below. Bill, 

 dark-brown, flesh colored at base of lower mandible, iris and feet, brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



I have 'given above, a description of the summer plumage of this species which I have never seen in print before. Two 

 specimens in this dress, kindly loanel me by my friend, Mr. W. B. Dowse, one from his own cabinet and the other from 

 that of Mr. Hapgood, the well-known sportsman, vary somewhat. That belonging to Mr. Dowse, has the colors very dark, 

 consequently the brown markings are well defined. The streakings below are extended over the entire lower portions, even 

 the under tail coverts are streaked and the upper are banded. Known from all others by the straight bill, white upper 

 tail coverts, and colors as described. Distributed, in summer, throughout Arctic America; the majority wintering south 

 of the United States, but occasionally one may be found in Florida at this season. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 7'13; stretch, IS'OO; wing, 4'22; tail,2'05; 

 bill, "92; tarsus, - !)5. Longest specimen, 8-00; greatest extent of wing, 15'25; longest wing, 5'00; tail, 2 20; bill, '95; tar- 

 sus, 1-00. Shortest specimen, 7'ir>; smallest extent of wing, 14'75; shortest wing, 4-35; tail, 1'9D; bill, '90; tarsus, 90. 



HABITS. 



The first specimen of Bonaparte's Sandpiper that I ever saw, I shot on some rocks, 

 left exposed by the out-going tide, in the mouth of Essex River, where they were feeding 

 in company with "the Turnstones. This was in the autumn, many years ago, and during 

 following seasons, I could always find them there whenever I went in search of them. Al- 

 though these birds have many habits in common with other Sandpipers, they appear to be 

 unique in some particulars, the above mentioned predilection for rocks between tide marks, 

 being one characteristic of the species; then they are fond of haunting springy places on the 



