94 
AMERICAN KNOT. 
long : the cliin, eyebrows, and whole breast are pale 
brownish orange : crown, hind head from the upper 
mandible backwards, and neck, dull white, streaked 
with black : back a pale slaty olive ; the feathers 
tipped with white, barred, and spotted with black and 
pale ferruginous : tail-coverts white, elegantly barred 
with black : wings plain dusky, black towards the ex- 
tremity ; the greater coverts tipped with white ; 
shafts of the primaries white : tail pale ashy-olive, 
finely edged with white ; the two middle feathers 
somewhat the longest : belly and vent white, the 
latter marked with small arrow heads of black : legs 
and feet black ; toes bordered with a narrow mem- 
brane : eye small and black. In some specimens the 
red on the breast is much paler, in others it descends 
as far as the thighs. Both sexes are alike. 
Native of North America : it appears in the 
United States early in May, remains a few weeks, 
and disappears till October : in November it retires 
to the south. It associates in small flocks, and affects 
the sandy flats of the coasts, searching for small 
bivalve moUusca. It is not easily alarmed, and on 
the approach of the sportsman will frequently remain 
fixed and silent for some time. It is called the grey- 
back among the Americans, and is greatly prized for 
its excellent flavour : its nest and eggs are unknown. 
