264 



THE BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 



tTringa rufescens, Vieill. 



PLATE CCCXXXL— Male and Female. 



It is a curious fact that although this beautiful bird is by no means rare, at 

 particular periods, along the shores of our Eastern Districts, it remained 

 unknown to Wilson, Bonaparte, and, until found in England by Mr. 

 Yarrell, to myself. It was first discovered by Vieillot in Louisiana, 

 where, however, I never met with it. My friend Nuttall, who has also 

 described it, states that it is often seen near Boston, in company with the 

 Pectoral Sandpiper, and is not uncommon in the market there. To my 

 friend Mr. Yarkele I am indebted for the use of his specimen, from which 

 I made the figure in the act of starting on wing. The other figure was 

 taken from an American specimen, procured at Boston, and now in my pos- 

 session. I regret, however, that I can say nothing respecting the habits or 

 haunts of this bird, farther than that having seen a wing of it in the posses- 

 sion of my friend Captain James Clark Ross, I think it probable that it 

 breeds near the Arctic circle, as he received a wing from the sailors, who 

 had found it in the course of one of the numerous inland excursions in the 

 desolate regions from which these intrepid navigators have recently returned. 



Boff-breasted Sandpiper, Tringa rufescens, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 113. 

 Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tringa rufescens, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 451. 



Male, 8, IS. 



Along the Atlantic shores from Maine to New York. Rare. Migratory. 

 Breeds in high northern latitudes. 



Adult Male. 



Bill about the length of the head, slender, sub-cylindrical, very slightly 

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

 Upper mandible with the dorsal line very slightly decurved towards the 

 end, the ridge convex, the sides sloping, the edges rather blunt and soft. 

 Nasal groove extending to near the tip, nostrils basal, linear, pervious. 

 Lower mandible with the angle long and very narrow, the dorsal line 

 straight, the sides sloping outwards, with a long narrow groove, the tip a 

 little broader, but tapering. 



