312 
SOLITARY SANDPIPER, OR TATLER. 
Plumage very soft, blended, on the fore part of the head very shoVt 
Wings long, narrow, pointed ; primaries rather narrow and tapering, first 
and second equal, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries short, broad, 
incurved, obliquely rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail rather 
short, slightly rounded, of twelve rounded feathers. 
Bill greenish-black. Iris brown; edges of eyelids dark grey. Feet green- 
ish-grey, claws brownish-black. Upper part of the head, lores, cheeks, hind 
neck and sides of the neck deep brownish-grey, the edges of the feathers 
brownish-white ; a dull white line from the bill to the eye ; upper part of 
throat greyish-white; fore-neck of the same colour, streaked with brownish' 
grey, as are the sides ; the rest of the lower parts greyish-white. The gene- 
ral colour of the back and scapulars is deep greenish-brown, the feathers 
edged with a few small spots of white and dusky, those on the inner secon- 
daries more numerous. Wing-coverts similar, excepting those along the 
edge of the wing, which, with the alula and primary coverts, are deep 
brownish-black; primary quills brownish-black, secondaries greyish-brown; 
lower wing-coverts mottled with brownish-black and white, the axillar 
feathers barred with greyish-white and dusky, as are the upper tail-coverts 
and the tail-feathers, of which the two middle are merely spotted^with 
white on the edges. 
Length to end of tail 81 inches, to end of wings 9, to end of claws 10 , 
extent of wings 165; wing from flexure 51; tail 2; bill along the back 1/ T , 
along the edge of lower mandible lf|; tarsus l x 2 ^ ; middle too }£, its claw 
f|. Weight 11 oz. 
Adult Female. 
There is no decided difference between the sexes in the colouring, but 
the female is somewhat larger. From the only instance in which I found 
this species in the act of depositing its eggs, I conclude that it generally 
forms its nest on the higher grounds or along the declivities of hills. 
Mouth very narrow, 25 twelfths in width. Tongue 11 twelfths long, 
channelled above, extremely slender toward the point. (Esophagus 3 inches 
2 twelfths long, 2 twelfths wide ; provcntriculus 3 twelfths in breadth. 
Stomach roundish, oblique, 9 twelfths by 8 twelfths; its lateral muscles large; 
epithelium dense and longitudinally rugous. Intestine 131 inches long ; 
duodenum 2 twelfths in width, the rest 15 twelfths; coeca 1 inch 2 twelfths 
long, 1 twelfth wide, and 11 inches distant from the extremity; rectum 
slightly dilated toward the end. Trachea 21 inches long, 11 twelfths in 
width, much flattened, the rings narrow, unossified, 128. Bronchial half 
rings about 15. Muscles as in the other species of this family. Male. 
