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THE BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 



Tringa rtJfescens, Vieill. 



PLATE CCLXV. Male and Female. 



It is a curious fact that although this beautiful bird is by no means 

 rare, at particular periods, along the shores of our Eastern Districts, it 

 remained unknown to Wilson, Bonaparte, and, until found in England 

 by Mr Yarrell, to myself It was first discovered by Vieillot in 

 Louisiana, where, however, I never met with it. My friend Nuttall, 

 who has also described it, states that it is often seen near Boston, in 

 company with the Pectoral Sandpiper, and is not uncommon in the 

 market there. To my friend Mr Yarrell I am indebted for the use 

 of his specimen, from which I made the figure in the act of starting on 

 wing. The other figure was taken from an American specimen, pro- 

 cured at Boston, and now in my possession. I regret, however, that I can 

 say nothing respecting the habits or haunts of this bird, farther than 

 that having seen a wing of it in the possession of my friend Captain 

 James Clark Ross, I think it probable that it breeds near the Arctic 

 circle, as he received a wing from the sailors, who had found it in the 

 course of one of the numerous inland excursions in the desolate regions 

 from which these intrepid navigators have recently returned. 



TiiiNGA RUFESCEVs, Le Tringa roussatre, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. — 



Yarrell, in Linn. Trans, vol. xvi. p. 109. pi. 11. 

 Buff-breasted Tringa, Tringa rufescens, Selby, Illustr. vol. iL p. 142. pi. 27- 



fig. 4. 

 Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Nuttall, Manual, vol. 11. p. 113. 



Adult Male. Plate CCLXV. Fig. L 



Bill about the length of the head, slender, subcylindrical, very slightly 

 decurved, compressed at the base, the point rather depressed and obtuse. 

 Upper mandible with the dorsal line very slightly decurved towards the 

 end, the ridge convex, the sides sloping, the edges rather blunt and soft. 

 Nasal groove extending to near the tip, nostrils basal, linear, pervious. 

 Lower mandible with the angle long and very narrow, the dorsal line 



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