256 RED-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 



them to turn and wheel without interfering with each other. At such times, 

 their lower and upper parts are alternately seen, the flock exhibiting now a 

 dusky appearance, and again gleaming like a meteor. 



Many of these young birds continue mottled with dull reddish-orange on 

 their lower parts until the winter is far advanced. The old individuals have 

 their whole upper plumage of a uniform grey, and their lower parts white. 

 As those of the first year have their markings at that season handsomer than 

 at any other period of their lives, I have given the figure of one in preference 

 to that of an adult. 



It has been supposed by some that two different species of Knot occur in 

 the United States, but I am of a different opinion. The dimensions of birds 

 of this family, as well as of many others, are extremely variable; and, on 

 shooting eight or ten Knots, it would be difficult to find two of them having 

 exactly the same size and proportions. If I add to this the very remarkable 

 changes of plumage exhibited by birds of this family before and after maturi- 

 ty, you will not think it strange that Wilson should have mistaken the 

 young of the Knot for a separate species from the old bird in its spring 

 dress. Indeed, I am obliged to tell you that I have been much puzzled, 

 when, on picking up several of these birds from the same flock, I have found 

 some having longer and thicker bills than others, with as strange a difference 

 in the size of their eyes. These differences I have endeavoured to repre- 

 sent in my plate. 



My friend John Bachman states, that this species is quite abundant in 

 South Carolina, in its autumn and spring migrations, but that he has never 

 seen it there in full plumage. In that country it is called the "May-bird," 

 which, however, is a name also given to the Rice-bird. Along the coasts of 

 our Middle District, it is usually known by the name of "Grey-back." 



Ash-coloured Sandpiper, Tringa cinerea, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. vii. p. 36. Winter. 



Red-breasted Sandpiper, Tringa rufa, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. vii. p. 57. Summer. 



Tringa islandica, Bonap. Syn.. p. 350. 



Tringa cinerea, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 387. 



Knot or Ash-coloured Sandpiper, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 125. 



Knot or Ash-coloured Sandpiper, Tringa islandica. Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 130. 



Male, 10*, 21. 



In autumn and spring ranges along the coast from Texas to Labrador. 

 Breeds in the Fur Countries, to a very high latitude. Common. 



Adult Male in summer. 



Bill rather longer than the head, slender, straight, compressed, tapering, 

 with the tip a little enlarged and blunt. Upper mandible with the dorsal 

 line straight, and slightly declinate, the ridge narrow and flattened until 



