LITTLE SANDPIPER. 347 
LITTLE SANDPIPER.—TRINGA PUSILLA.— Fic. ¥61. 
Lath. Syn. v. p. 184, 32.— Arct. Zool. ii. No. 397. —Cinelus dominicensis minor, 
Bree v. p. 222, 13. t. 25. f.2.— Turt. Syst. p. 410.— Peale’s Museum, Ne. 
138. 
TRINGA MINUTILLA? —Vieu.ot.* 
Tringa pusilla, Bonap. Synop. p. 319. 
Turs is the least of its tribe in this part of the world, and in its 
mode of flight has much more resemblance to the Snipe than to the 
Sandpiper. It is migratory, departing early in October for the South. 
It resides chiefly among the sea marshes, and feeds among the mud 
at low water; springs with a zigzag irregular flight, and a feeble twit. 
It is not altogether confined to the neighborhood of the sea, for 1 
have found several of them on the shores of the Schuylkill, in the 
month of August. In October, immediately before they go away, they 
are usually very fat. Their nests or particular breeding-places I have 
not been able to discover. y 
This minute species is found in Europe, and also at Nootka Sound, 
on the western coast of America. Length, five inches and a half; ex- 
tent, eleven inches ; bill and legs, brownish black; upper part of the 
preast, gray brown, mixed with white; back and upper parts, black ; 
the whole plumage above, broadly edged with bright bay. and yellow 
ochre, primaries, black; greater coverts, the same, tipped with white ; 
eye, small, dark hazel; tail, rounded, the four exterior feathers on 
each side, dull white, the rest, dark brown; tertials, as long as the 
primaries; head above, dark brown, with paler edges; over the eye, a 
streak of whitish; belly and vent, white; the bill is thick at the base, 
and very slender towards the point; the hind toe, small. In some 
specimens, the legs were of a dirty yellowish color. Sides of the 
rump, white ; just below the greater coverts, the primaries are crossed 
with white. 
Very little difference could be perceived between the plumage of 
the males and females. The bay on the edges of the back and scap- 
ulars was rather brighter in the male, and the brown deeper. 
* The Prince of Musignano considers this species peculiar to America ; that it is 
different from the 7’. minuta and Temminckwi of Europe, and that it is not the 
Linnean 7’. pusilla. If the latter opinion be correct, pusilla cannot be retained, 
and I have added with a query the name given to it by Vieilliot. — Ep. 
