66 
SPOTTED SANDPIPER. 
down the river, but making a long circuitous sweep, stretching a 
great way out, and gradually bending in again to the shore. 
These birds are found occasionally along the sea marshes, as 
well as in the interior ; and also breed in the corn fields there, 
frequenting the shore in search of food; but rarely associating with 
the other Tringse. About the middle of October they leave us 
on their way to the south, and do not, to my knowledge, winter 
in any of the Atlantic states. 
Mr. Pennant is of opinion that this same species is found in 
Britain ; but neither his description, nor that of Mr. Bewick, will 
apply correctly to this. The following particulars, with the figure, 
will enable Europeans to determine this matter to their satisfac- 
tion. 
Length of the Spotted Sandpiper seven inches and a half, ex- 
tent thirteen inches ; bill an inch long, straight, the tip and upper 
mandible dusky, lower orange ; stripe over the eye, and lower eye- 
lid, pure white; whole upper parts a glossy olive, with greenish 
reflecfions, each feather, marked with waving spots of dark brown ; 
wing quills deep dusky ; bastard wing bordered and tipped with 
white ; a spot of white on the middle of the inner vane of each 
quill feather except the first ; secondaries tipped with white; tail 
rounded, the six middle feathers greenish olive, the other three on 
each side white, barred with black ; whole lower parts white, beau- 
tifully marked with roundish spots of black, small and thick on 
the throat and breast, larger and thinner as they descend to the 
tail ; legs a yellow clay color ; claws black. 
The female is as thickly spotted below as the male ; but the 
young birds of both sexes are pure white below, without any spots; 
they also want the orange on the bill. These circumstances I 
have verified on numerous individuals. 
