TRINGA CINEREA. 
ASH-COLOURED SANDPIPER. 
[Plate LVIL— Fig. 2.] 
Jlrct. ZooL p. 474, JVo. 386. — Bewick, ii, p. 102. — Peale’s Mu~ 
seum, JYo. 4060. 
The regularly disposed concentric semicircles of white and 
dark brown that mark the upper parts of the plumage of this spe- 
cies, distinguish it from all others, and give it a very neat appear- 
ance. In activity it is superior to the preceding; and traces the 
flowing and recession of the waves along the sandy beach, with 
great nimbleness, wading and searching among the loosened 
particles for its favourite food, which is a small thin oval bivalve 
shell-fish, of a white or pearl colour, and not larger than the 
seed of an apple. These usually lie at a short depth below the 
surface; but in some places are seen at low water in heaps, like 
masses of wet grain, in quantities of more than a bushel together. 
During the latter part of summer and autumn, these minute 
shell-fish constitute the food of almost all those busy flocks, that 
run with such activity along the sands, among the flowing and 
retreating waves. They are universally swallowed whole; but 
the action of the bird’s stomach, assisted by the shells them- 
selves, soon reduces them to a pulp. If we may judge from 
their effects, they must be extremely nutritious, for almost all 
those tribes that feed on them are at this season mere lumps of 
fat. Digging for these in the hard sand would be a work of con- 
siderable labour, whereas when the particles are loosened by 
the flowing of the sea, the birds collect them with great ease 
and dexterity. It is amusing to observe with what adroitness 
* This is the preceding species in winter dress, according to prince Musig- 
nano. 
