PURPLE SANDPIPER. 
147 
towards the point, a very little curved, and of a dull 
red colour, except at the apex and sides, which are 
dusky : irides hazel : the head and neck dusky black : 
eyelids whitish : the throat white : back and scapulars 
black, glossed with purple and edged with ash-colour : 
the wing-coverts black, tipped with white : the larger 
ones above the primaries deeply so : quills black, 
slightly edged with white on the exterior webs, except 
those of the secondaries, which are almost wholly 
white ; these, with the white tipped coverts, form a 
slight oblique bar on the wing when extended : the 
shafts white : breast and all beneath white, prettily 
spotted with black, except the middle of the belly 
and vent : the rump, coverts of the tail, and four 
middle tail-feathers black, glossed like the back : the 
other tail-feathers light cinereous ; in all twelve : the 
legs and toes dull red ; claws black and blunt." 
" This bird was killed at Laugharne on the coast 
of Caermarthenshire in January." 
It has also occurred on the coasts of Sussex, Kent, 
and Somersetshire ; and all the specimens were ob- 
tained in the winter season. 
The Selninger Sandpiper of Latham appears to be 
the summer dress of this species, and the Striated 
Sandpiper the young, or perhaps winter plumage. 
