THE PURPLE SANDPIPER 165 
typical sailorman, thickset and heavy, more 
compact in his build than any other of his fam- 
ily which visits us. This may be because he 
has not had to dodge shot and run from the 
summer gunner all through the hot weather; 
thus he gets a chance to put on flesh. 
Having seen them only in the winter, and 
since they are taken here at no other season, it 
may be best to describe them in the dress of that 
season. Above, colored on the centres of the 
feathers a deep bluish black with a purplish 
gloss, the edges and tips of the the feathers blu- 
ish ash. Greater, middle and lesser wing cov- 
erts and scapulars white-edged. Primarié¢s and 
tail feathers dusky. Below, the throat and 
breast bluish ash, this color extending along 
the sides, paler and whitening on the edges of 
the feathers. Remaining lower parts mainly 
white. Legs and feet flesh-colored; bill about 
one and one-quarter inches long, slightly down- 
curved, dusky green with flesh-colored base. 
The length of this bird is about nine inches; ex- 
tent from fifteen to sixteen inches. 
This species rarely goes much south of New 
England, perhaps to the Middle States, and 
though chiefly found on the seacoast is an oc- 
casional visitor to the Great Lakes. 
