43 



RED-BBEASTED SANDPIPER. 

 THIJVGA RUFA. 

 [Plate LVII.— Fig. 5.] 



Peaie's Museum^ JV'o* 4050, 



OF this prettily marked species I can find no description. 

 The Tringa Icelandica^ or Aberdeen Sandpiper of Pennant and 

 others, is the only species that has any resemblance to it; the de- 

 scriptions of that bird, however, will not apply to the present. 



The common name of this species on our sea coast is the 

 Grey-back^ and among the gunners it is a particular favorite, being 

 generally a plump, tender and excellent bird for the table; and, 

 consequently, brings a good price in market* 



The Grey-backs do not breed on the shores of the middle 

 states. Their first appearance is early in May. They remain a 

 few weeks, and again disappear until October. They usually keep 

 in small flocks, alight in a close body together on the sand flats, 

 where they search for the small bivalve shells already described. 

 On the approach of the sportsman they frequently stand fixed and 

 silent for some time; do not appear to be easily alarmed, neither 

 do they run about in the water as much as some others, or with 

 the same rapidity, but appear more tranquil and deliberate. In 

 the month of November they retire to the south. 



This species is ten inches long, and twenty in extent; the 

 bill is black, and about an inch and a half long; the chin, eye- 

 brows and whole breast is a pale brownish orange color; crown, 

 hind head from the upper mandible backwards, and neck, dull 

 white, streaked with black; back a pale slaty olive, the feathers 

 tipt with white, barred and spotted with black and pale ferrugi^ 



