6G 
TRINGA CINEEEA. 
219. TliiyGA CINEHEAf WILSOK. — ASH-COLOURED SAKDPIPEl^' 
WILSON”, PLATE LVII. FIG. 11 .* EDINBURGH COLLEGE NlUSEl'*^ 
The regularly disposed concentric semicircles «! 
■white and dark brown that mark the upper parts 
the phimago of this species, distinguish it from aU 
others, and give it a very neat appearance. In activity 
it is superior to the preceding ; and traces the llowin- 
and recession of the waves along the sandy beach wit^ 
great uimbleness, wading and searching among tb* 
loosened particles for its favourite food, which is ^ 
small thin oval bivalve shell-lish, of a white or peat^ 
colour, and not larger than the seed of an apple. Thc*^ 
usually lie at a short depth below the snrtace; hut i" 
some places ,we seen at low water in heaps, like masse’ 
of wet gi-ain, in quantities of more than a bushel togethet' 
During the latter part of summer and autumn, thes' 
minute shell-fish constitute the food of idmost all tho.'i' 
busy flocks that run with such activity along the sand* 
among the flov\ing and retreating waves.” They ar* 
universally swallowed whole; but the action of tb* 
bird’s stomach, assisted by the shells themselves, soo" 
reduces tliem to a pulp. If we may .judge from theb 
effects, they must be extremely nutritious, for almi'S* 
all those tribes that feed on them are at this seaso’' 
mere lumps of fat. Digging for these in the hiiT^ 
sand would be a u’ork of considerable labour, whcreirs 
when the particles are loosened by the flowing of tb'-’ 
sea, the hii'ds collect them with great ease and de.xterit.f" 
It is amusiug to observe n ith what adroitness they 
follow and elude the tumbling surf, while at the saH'’’ 
time they seem wholly intent on collectin" their food- 
The ash-colonred sandpiper, the subject of our 
SGiit account, inhabits both Europe and America. 
has been seen in jfjfreat numbers on the Seal Islaud^ 
near C'hatteaux Bay ; is said to continue the 
liS the T ringtx Ictlandicaj LiniiEeus, in the winter dress^ 
