Bewick's sandpiper. 
139 
mon colour, and sparingly and irregularly marked 
with black spots, reflecting a purple gloss : the 
shoulder and scapular-feathers are black, edged with 
pale rust colour ; and have the same glossy reflec- 
tions as those on the breast : the tertials are nearly 
of the same length as the quills, and are marked like 
the first annexed figure (p. 115*) barred : the ridges 
of the wings are a brownish-ash colour ; the coverts, 
back, and rump are nearly the same, but inclining 
to olive, and the middle of each feather is of a deeper 
dusky brown : the primary quills are deep olive- 
brown : the exterior webs of the secondaries are also 
of that colour, but lighter, edged and tipped with 
white ; and the inner webs are mostly white towards 
the base : the tail-coverts are glossy black, edged 
with pale rust colour, and tipped with white ; but in 
some of them a streak of white passes from the 
middle upwards, nearly the whole length, as in the 
second figure (p. 115*). The tail-feathers are lightish 
brown, except the two middle ones, which are barred 
with spots of a darker hue : the belly and vent are 
white : legs bare above the knees, and red as sealing- 
wax : claws black." 
" The female is less than the male, and her 
plumage more dingy and indistinct : an egg taken 
out of her previous to stuffing, was surprisingly large, 
considering her bulk, being about the size of that of 
a magpie, of a greenish-white colour, spotted and 
blotched with brown, of a long shape, and pointed at 
the smaller end." 
* Of Bewick. 
