48 
RED-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 
white, streaked with black ; back a pale slaty olive, the feathers 
tipt with white, barred and spotted with black and pale ferrugi- 
nous ; tail-coverts white, elegantly barred with black ; wings plain 
dusky, black towards the extremity; the greater coverts tipt with 
white ; shafts of the primaries white ; tail pale ashy olive, finely 
edged with white, the two middle feathers somewhat the longest ; 
belly and vent white, the latter marked with small arrow-heads of 
black ; legs and feet black ; toes bordered with a narrow mem- 
brane ; eye small and black. 
In some specimens, both of males and females, the red on the 
breast was much paler, in others it descended as far as the thighs. 
Both sexes seemed nearly alike. 
I am altogether in doubt whether or not this species is new ; 
and my doubts are not lessened when I reflect upon the careless 
manner in which our birds have been taken notice of in the works 
of the European naturalists. Even should it prove to be the Aber- 
deen Sandpiper of Pennant, a question will still occur, is it the 
Ash-colored Sandpiper in its perfect adult plumage ? I must con- 
fess my inability, with my present means of information, to deter- 
mine this question. 
