66 
TRINGA CINEREA. 
219 . TRINGA CINEREA, WILSON. - — ASH-COLOURED SANDPIPER. 
WILSON, PLATE LVII. FIG. II.* EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 
The regularly disposed concentric semicircles of 
white and dark brown that mark tlie upper parts of 
the plumage of this species, distinguish it from all 
others, and give it a very neat appearance. In activity 
it is superior to the preceding ; and traces the flowing 
and recession of the waves along the sandy beach with 
great nimbleness, wading and searching among the 
loosened particles for its favourite food, which is a 
small thin oval bivalve shell-fish, of a w r hite or pearl 
colour, and not larger than the seed of an apple. These 
usually lie at a short depth below the surface; but in 
some places are seen at low water in heaps, like masses 
of wet grain, in quantities of more than a bushel together. 
During the latter part of summer and autumn, these 
minute shell-fish constitute the food of almost all those 
busy flocks that run with such activity along the sands, 
among the flowing and retreating waves. They are 
universally swallowed whole; but the action of the 
bird’s stomach, assisted by the shells themselves, soon 
reduces them to a pulp. If we may judge from their 
effects, they must be extremely nutritious, for almost 
all those tribes that feed on them are at this season 
mere lumps of fat. Digging for these in the hard 
sand would be a work of considerable labour, whereas, 
when the particles are loosened by the flowing of the 
sea, the birds collect them with great ease and dexterity. 
It is amusing to observe with what adroitness they 
follow and elude the tumbling surf, while at the same 
time they seem wholly intent on collecting their food. 
The ash-coloured sandpiper, the subject of our pre- 
sent account, inhabits both Europe and America. It 
has been seen in great numbers on the Seal Islands 
near Chatteaux Bay; is said to continue the whole 
Is the T ring a Icelandica 2 Linnseus, in the winter dress. 
