SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 
279 
which the outer is larger, and extends to opposite the second joint of the 
third toe, both however margining the toes to their extremity ; the outer 
toe a little longer than the inner, and not much exceeded by the third. 
Claws small, much compressed, tapering, slightly arched, that of the third 
toe larger, with the inner edge a little dilated. 
Plumage soft, blended on the neck and lower parts, somewhat compact on 
the upper. Wings long, pointed ; primaries tapering, obtuse, the first long- 
est, the second a twelfth and a half shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; 
outer secondaxdes incurved, obliquely pointed, inner straight, tapering, one 
of them reaching to nine-twelfths of an inch from the tip of the longest 
primary. Tail rather short, doubly emarginate, that is, with the middle 
feathers a quarter of an inch longer than the lateral, which are a little 
longer than some of the intermediate. 
Bill greenish-dusky ; iris hazel ; feet dull yellowish-green, claws black. 
The upper part of the head, the cheeks, the hind part and sides of the neck 
are ash-grey, streaked with dusky ; on the rest of the upper parts the feathers 
are dusky-brown, margined with pale grey, those on the rump and the upper 
tail-coverts blackish-brown ; secondary coverts tipped with white ; alula and 
primary coverts brownish-black, the latter tipped with white ; primary quills 
greyish-black, with white shafts ; secondary quills gradually more grey ; the 
primaries externally edged with white toward the base, as are the outer 
secondaries in a fainter degree, as well as terminally, some of them also 
having the greater part of the inner web greyish-white. The two middle 
tail-feathers greyish-black on the inner web, their outer web and all the 
other feathers ash grey. The anterior part of the forehead and a band over 
the eye greyish-white ; the lower parts of the neck and body white. 
Length to end of tail 61 inches ; to end of wings 61, to end of claws 7i ; 
extent of wings 125 ; bill along the ridge ly’y ; wing from flexure 4 ; tail 
1 T 8 2 ; bare part of tibia T s y ; tarsus j|- ; hind toe f4, its claw T J y ; middle 
toe t 8 2 , its claw f|. Weight 1 oz. 
The female is considerably larger than the male, but otherwise similar. 
In winter the upper parts are ash-grey, tinged with brown, each feather 
with a central dusky line. 
In a female preserved in spirits, the roof of the mouth is flat, with the 
edges a little prominent, and two medial series of reflected papillae. The 
tongue is 10i twelfths long, slender, papillate at the base, concave above, 
rather obtuse and somewhat jagged at the extremity, horny in nearly its 
whole length. The extremity of the upper mandible is somewhat scrobicu- 
late ; the lower mandible deeply concave. The oesophagus, which is 24 
inches in length, is very slender, being scarcely so wide as the trachea, its 
diameter nearly uniform, and about H twelfths. The stomach is elliptical, 
