THE BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 
265 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Eyes rather large. Neck 
of moderate length. Body rather slender. Feet rather long, slender ; 
tibia bare a third part of its length ; tarsus compressed, anteriorly and 
posteriorly with numerous small scutella ; hind toe very small, the rest of 
moderate length, slender, the fourth slightly longer than the secoi.d, the 
third longest ; all free, scutellate above, flat beneath, slightly marginate ; 
claws rather small, slightly arched, compressed, rather obtuse, that of the 
third toe much larger, with the inner edge dilated. 
Plumage very soft, blended on the lower parts, the feathers rather distinct 
above. Wings very long, pointed ; primaries tapering, obtuse, the first 
longest, the second almost equal, the rest rapidly graduated ; outer seconda- 
ries slightly incurved, narrow, very obliquely sinuate on the outer web 
towards the end, the inner web rounded, and extending beyond the outer ; 
inner secondaries very narrow, tapering, acute, reaching, when the wing is 
closed, to within half an inch of its tip. Tail c. moderate length, nearly 
even, with the two middle feathers exceeding the rest, and having the 
shaft projecting, of twelve narrow, rounded feathers 
Bill dull olive-green, dusky towards the point, /ns hazel. Feet null 
yellowish-green, claws dusky. The general colour of the upper parts is 
greyish-yellow, each feather blackish-brown in the centre ; wing-coverts 
lighter ; quills and their coverts light greyish-brown, greenish-black at the 
end, but with a whitish tip ; the inner webs whitish in the greater part of 
their breadth, and beautifully dotted with black in undulating lines ; the 
inner secondaries like the feathers of the back. The two middle tail-feathers 
greyish-brown, dark brown, glossed with green, at the end, and slightly 
margined and tipped with white, the rest gradually paler to the outer, mar- 
gined and tipped with white, within which are two lines of blackish-brown. 
Sides of the head, fore neck, and sides light yellowish-red, the throat paler, 
the sides of the neck and body spotted with brownish-black ; the rest of the 
lower parts paler and unspotted. The lower wing-coverts are white, those 
near the edge of the wing black in the centre, the primary coverts dotted 
with black, and having a spot of the same near the end. 
Length to end of tail 8 inches, to end of wings S r \ ; extent of wings 18 ; 
wing from flexure 5f ; tail 2 11 ; bill along the ridge along the edge of 
lower mandible 1 ; bare part of tibia ^ 5 tarsus 1 T \, middle toe j-f, its 
claw ij. Weight 2i oz. 
Adult Female. 
The female is somewhat larger than the male, which it resembles in 
colour, but has the lower parts paler, and the feathers of the upper parts 
of a lighter brown, with an inner margin of brownish-black and an outer 
of greyish-yellow. 
Yon. Y. 37 
