968 THE RED-BACKED SANDPIPER. 



From Nova Scotia to Texas, along all muddy or sandy shores, during 

 autumn and spring. Common. Breeds in great numbers on the Arctic 

 coasts. 



Adult Male in summer. 



Bill longer than the head, slender, sub-cylindrical, nearly straight, being 

 slightly curved towards the end, compressed at the base, the point rather 

 depressed and obtuse. Upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, 

 slightly sloping at the base, and slightly decurved towards the end, the ridge 

 narrow, towards the end flattened, at the point convex, sides sloping, edges 

 rather blunt and soft. Nasal groove long, extending to near the point; nostrils 

 basal, linear, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle long and very nar- 

 row, the dorsal line slightly concave, the sides sloping outwards, towards 

 the end convex. 



Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Eyes rather small. Neck of 

 moderate length. Body rather full. Feet slender, of moderate length; tibia 

 bare a considerable way up, anteriorly and posteriorly scutellate, as is the 

 compressed tarsus; hind toe very small and elevated, anterior toes of mode- 

 rate length, slender; inner toe slightly shorter than outer, middle toe con- 

 siderably longer, all scutellate above, marginate with prominent papillae, and 

 free. Claws small, slightly arched, extremely compressed, blunt; edge of 

 middle claw dilated and thin. 



Plumage very soft, blended; on the back the feathers rather distinct. 

 Wings long and pointed; primaries tapering, obtuse, the first longest, the 

 second a little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries rather short, 

 obliquely cut at the end with a recurved blunt point, the inner elongated 

 and tapering. Tail rather short, even, but with the two middle feathers 

 considerably longer, of twelve feathers. 



Bill and feet black. Iris dark brown. The upper part of the head, the 

 back and the scapulars, are chestnut-red, each feather brownish-black in the 

 centre, and the scapulars barred with the same colour. The wing coverts 

 greyish-brown, as are the quills, the bases and tips of the secondaries and 

 part of the outer webs of the middle primaries white. Tail light brownish- 

 grey, the two middle feathers darker. Forehead, sides of the head and hind 

 neck pale reddish-grey, streaked with dusky; fore neck and anterior part of 

 breast greyish-white, streaked with dusky; on the breast a large patch of 

 brownish-black; abdomen and lower tail-coverts white, the latter with dusky 

 markings. 



Length to end of tail 8 J inches, to end of wings 8 T 7 j; extent of wings 15, 

 wing from flexure 4 : r °; tail 2^; bill along the ridge 1 T 7 2, along the edge of 

 lower mandible 1 T 6 ¥ ; tarsus 1; middle toe -~f, its claw ff . Weight 3 oz. 



Adult in winter. 



