136 GRALLATORES. TRINGA. TRINGA. 
middle tail-feathers barred with greyish-black and buff ; 
the outer ones uniform greyish-black ; but with the tips 
of the whole pale buff. Legs and toes greenish-grey ; 
with the knees thick, indicating a bird of the year. In 
this state it answers to the synonyms quoted as belong- 
ing to the young. The Yellow-legged Sandpiper of 
Monracu seems to refer to the winter plumage of the 
old Ruff. 
Genus TRINGA, ductor. TRINGA. 
GENERIC CHARACTERS. 
Bit of the same length as, or longer than, the head, 
straight, or slightly arched, compressed at the base, the tip 
blunt, smooth, and dilated, semi-flexible throughout its 
length, and with both mandibles furrowed as far as the 
smooth bulb or tip. 
Nostrils lateral, linear-oblong, placed near the base of the 
bill in the membrane that covers the groove. 
Wings of mean length, acuminate, having the first quill- 
feather the longest. 
Legs of mean length, slender, more or less naked above 
the tarsal joint. Feet four-toed, three before and one behind. 
The anterior ones divided, and fringed with a small lateral 
membrane. The hind toe small, articulated upon the tar- 
sus, and barely touching the ground with its tip. 
Plumage soft, close, and adpressed. 
Under this generic title I include all the species contained 
in the first section of the genus T'ringa, as described by 
Mons. Temmtinck in his ** Manuel d’Ornithologie,” as well 
as some others given by different authors, which possess the 
essential characters of the group. This arrangement I am 
induced to adopt for the present, from not being satisfied 
