578 SOLITARY SANDPIPER. 



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

 Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, the ridge convex, broader 

 at the base, slightly depressed towards the end, the sides sloping, towards 

 the end convex, the edges soft and obtuse, the tip very slightly deflected. 

 Nasal groove long and narrow, extending to a little beyond the middle of 

 the bill ; nostrils basal, linear, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle 

 very long and extremely narrow, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex, 

 with a slight groove in their basal half. 



Head small, oblong, anteriorly narrowed. Eyes large. Neck rather 

 long and slender. Body slender. Feet long and slender ; tibia bare 

 nearly half its length, scutellate before and behind ; tarsus also scutellate 

 before and behind ; hind toe very small and elevated ; fore toes rather 

 long, very slender, connected at the base by webs, of which the outer is 

 much larger ; second or inner toe considerably shorter than fourth, third 

 longest ; all scutellate above, flat and marginate beneath. Claws small, 

 slightly arched, much compressed, rather obtuse, that of middle toe much 

 larger, with the inner edge enlarged. 



Plumage very soft, blended, on the fore part of the head very short. 

 Wings long, narrow, pointed ; primaries rather narrow and tapering, first 

 and second equal, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries short, broad, 

 incurved, obliquely rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail ra- 

 ther short, slightly rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. 



Bill greenish-black. Iris brown ; edges of eyelids dark grey. Feet 

 greenish-grey, claws brownish-black. Upper part of the head, lores, 

 cheeks, hind neck and sides of the neck deep brownish-grey, the edges of 

 the feathers brownish-white ; a dull white line from the bill to the eye ; 

 upper part of throat greyish-white ; fore-neck of the same colour, streaked 

 with brownish-grey, as are the sides ; the rest of the lower parts greyish- 

 white. The general colour of the back and scapulars is deep greenish- 

 brown, the feathers edged with a few small spots of white and dusky, those 

 on the inner secondaries more numerous. Wing-coverts similar, except- 

 ing those along the edge of the wing, which with the alula and primary 

 coverts are deep brownish-black ; primary quills brownish-black, secon- 

 daries greyish-brown ; lower wing-coverts mottled with brownish-black 

 and white, the axillar feathers barred with greyish-white and dusky, as 

 are the upper tail-coverts and the tail-feathers, of which the two middle 

 are merely spotted with white on the edges. 



