306 PR.ECOCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL^. 



Under parts light ochraceous or pale fawn-color, many feathers tipped with white, and paler on the 

 flanks and abdomen, on the breast with partially concealed small spots of black ; axillary feathers 

 white. Quills with their outer webs light brown, inner webs ashy white marbled with black and 

 narrowly tipped ^\ith white ; middle tail-feathers brownish black ; outer feathers lighter, with 

 trans\'erse waved lines of black on the terminal halt, and tipped with white ; under primary-coverts 

 beautifuUv marbled with black. Bill greenish black ; legs greenish yellow. Youmj : Generally 





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similar, but the upper parts with the black and lawn-color less sharply contrasted, and each feather 

 with a conspicuous terminal border of white. Marbling on inner webs of primaries and on under 

 ]irimary-coverts much more minute and delicate than in the adult. " Bill dull olive-green, dusky 

 ti>ward the point ; iris hazel ; feet dull yellowish green, claws dusky " (Audubon). 



Total length, about 7.50 to 8.00 inches ; wing, 5.10-5.50 ; culmen, .75-80 ; tarsus, 1.15-1.30 ; 

 middle toe, .75-.85. 



This is a little bird of rather peculiar form and of liandsome phiniage. Its relationship appears 

 to be to Bartraui's Tattler. Both species more habitually frequent plains and other dry localities 

 than any of the true Sandpipers. 



Dr. Heermanu's type specimen of his Actidurus na'vius represents the usual adult plumage. 



The Butt'-breasted Sandpiper is found nearly or quite throughout North America, 

 and its occurrence is not uncommon in the northern and middle portions of South 

 America. It is found both on the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts, is migratory in all 

 parts of the United States, breeds in high Arctic latitudes, and is of occasional ap- 

 pearance in Europe. Its presence on the Atlantic coast, however, is regarded as an 

 infrequent event ; but Mv. Eoardman mentions it as having been found near Calais, 

 both in the spring and in the fall. It has also been taken at Eye Beach by j\Ir. 

 Brewster, and in Boston Harbor by Mr. Henshaw ; and about the 20tli of August a 

 few are usually to be seen in the Boston market. 



Mr. Giraud did not consider that it was a common bird ou Long Island, although 

 during almost every season a few are noticed along its southern shore. In September 

 this bird is occasionally seen exposed for sale in the markets of New York, together 

 with the Pectoral Sandpiper, from which, however, the Buff-breasted is easily distin- 

 guished by the comparative shortness of its l)ill. 



Mr. Giraud also states that in August, 1841, his friend Mr. Brasher observed live 

 of this species together on the shore of Gowanus Bay — a number much larger than 

 is usually seen in one group. They appeared to be very gentle, allowing him to ad- 

 vance within shooting distance without seeming to notice his presence, and three 

 were killed at the first discharge of liis gun. The surviving two made a short flight 

 over the water, returning in a few minutes to the shore at a short distance from the 

 point at which they had previously taken wing, thus giving him an opportunity to 

 secure the whole number. When flying from the observer, this bird appears not 

 unlike the Pectoral Sandpiper, on account of the resemblance of the upper plumage 

 of the two species. 



