386 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



[154.] 8. Tringa pusilla. (Wilson.) Diminutive Sandpiper. 



Genus, Tringa, Briss. 



Little Sandpiper ( Tringa pusilla). Wils., v., p. 32, pi. 37, f. 4. 



Tringa pusilla. Bonap. Syn., No. 255. 



This little bird breeds within the Arctic circle, arriving as soon as the snow- 

 melts. It was observed, on the 21st of May, on the swampy borders of small 

 lakes in latitude 66°. It is rather shy, has a sudden, desultory flight, and a 

 single low, shrill note. The crops of those we killed were filled with a soft 

 blackish earth, and some small white worms. 



DESCRIPTION 



Of a specimen, killed at Great Bear Lake, May 24, 182G. 



Colour. — Top of the head, base of the neck, scapulars, interscapulars, fertiaries, and 

 lower rows of wing coverts, dark liver-brown, bordered Avith chestnut and pale yellowish- 

 brown. Neck soiled brown, with central dark spots. Posterior part of the back, middle tail 

 coverts, and central pair of tail feathers, blackish-brown, the latter edged with wood-brown. 

 Sides of the rump tipped with white ; lateral tail coverts white, blotched with black ; lateral 

 tail feathers very pale broccoli-brown, faintly fringed near the tip with white. Wings clove- 

 brown ; the primary coverts, posterior primaries, and secondaries tipped and edged with 

 white, particularly the latter ; shafts of the second and third quills pale umber-brown, of the 

 others brownish-white. A dark line on the lores ; chin and superciliary streak white, with 

 dots. Middle of the breast, the belly, flanks, under tail coverts, inner wing coverts, and 

 thighs, pure white : sides of the breast clouded with dark broccoli-brown. Bill blackish. 

 Legs dark-brown. 



Form. — Bill short, straight, the tip depressed; nasal grooves terminating two lines from 

 the tip. Wings nearly equal to the tail. Exterior tail feathers a quarter of an inch shorter 

 than the central pair, lateral ones nearly even, three central pairs graduated. Toes free. 



Dimensions. 



Inch. Lin. Inch. Lin. Inch. Lin. 



Length, total . . .76 Length of bill above . .0 7§ Length of middle toe . 7i 



,, of tail . .19 „ of bill to rictus .07 „ of middle nail . 2 



„ of wing ..35 „ of tarsus . .08 „ of hind toe and nail 2 



