PURPLE SANDPIPER. 



winter snipe. rock snipe. 



Tringa maritima. 



Char. Distinguished from other Sandpipers by its short legs, short 

 thick body, and dark color. Adult in summer ; upper parts brownish gray, 

 darker on the back, which is spotted with rufous and buffish white ; rump 

 and central tail-feathers dull brown, outer tail-feathers ashy gray ; wings 

 grayish brown ; under parts gray, paler on the belly ; throat and breast 

 thickly spotted with dark brown. In winter the upper parts are purplish 

 ash, and the breast ashy brown or mouse gray ; the belly white. Length 

 variable, averaging about 8}4 inches. 



J\^esf. Usually amid a tuft of grass near a rocky sea-shore, but often 

 on high hills ; generally a little hollow scraped in the soil and lined with 

 some moss or leaves ; but nests have been found composed of dried grass 

 and sunk quite deep in the ground. 



Sg^s. 4 ; pale olive, green or dull buff, marked with lilac and brown ; 

 1.45 X i.oo. 



The Purple Sandpiper is another of those wandering species 

 common to the cold regions of both continents, confining its 

 visits principally to the rocky and shelving sea-coasts, where it 

 obtains in more abundance the minute Crustacea, moUusca, 

 and the fry of shell-fish which adhere commonly to the sea- 

 weeds or J^uci in such situations ; and so peculiar is this 

 habit that in Holland, where it is now common, it has only 

 appeared with the existence and advancement of the artificial 

 moles which have been built. In Norway along the rocky 



