MINUTE SANDPIPER. 
- 243 
In the next two small species, admitted as occa- 
sional visitants, there is a very close alliance, and in 
specimens intermediate in plumage, or not quite 
mature, there is a good deal of difficulty in dis- 
tinguishing them. The first, The Minute Sand- 
piper, Tringa minuta, Leisler. — Minute tringa, 
Selby. — Little Stint, Yarrell, — is chiefly distin- 
guished by the comparative greater length of the 
tarsus, the uniform colour of the tail, except the 
centre feathers, and in that member being slightly 
forked, the two centre feathers, however, project- 
ing in the centrg, and being longer than any of the 
others. The seasonal changes are somewhat similar 
to those we have been describing, dark above, hav- 
ing the feathers cut into with chestnut-red; but 
underneath, the plumage is pure white, interrupted 
by a band of pale reddish-chestnut, which crosses 
the breast, shading into the white below and on the 
sides of the neck ; the centres of the feathers are 
dark ; the tail is uniform hair-brown, except the 
long centre feathers which are glossy clove-brown. 
In a continental specimen before us, in the summer 
plumage, there is a great proportion of rufous inter- 
mixed, on the head and nape the feathers have 
dark centres, on the neck the rufous is nearly the 
prevailing tint,' and on the back and wings the 
feathers are very broadly edged with it, and with 
buff-orange. In the complete winter dress, the plu- 
mage above is described as ash-grey, the centre of 
the feathers darker, beneath pure white, the hand on 
the breast slightly indicated on the sides. Two 
