liUJfP-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 15
light yellowish r e d ; on the crown, dark brown approaching to black,
each feather edged with very light brown, giving it a mottled appearance;
neck on the sides, light brown tinged with buff, and spotted
with dark centres to the feathers; on the back and nape, light brown,
with a minute dark spot on the centre of each feather; chin, throat,
and breast above, light brown with a tinge of buff, and spotted with
small spots of dusky on the centres of the feathers; the breast
below is white; back, very dark or blackish brown, on the centres
and edges of the feathers lighter—greyish yellow.
The wings have the first quill feather the longest; the axillary
plume is white; greater wing coverts, dusky greyish brown, with
broad bufF-coloured edges; lesser wing coverts, dusky greyish brown
with buff-coloured edges; a band is thus formed across the wing.
Primaries, greenish black towards the end, the remainder greyish
brown, the inner w^ebs whitish on the greater part of their length, and
beautifully dotted with black in undulating lines, tipped with white;
underneath they are silvery white on the shafts, and beautifully mottled
with dark specks, the end half of the inner webs, which are of a
pale brown ground colour, have the outer webs dusky, forming transverse
rays of black; secondaries, dusky, mottled at their base, the edges of
the inner ones greyish yellow; underneath elegant^' variegated with
bands of black, dusky, and white, which, when the wings are raised,
give the bird an appearance peculiar to itself; tertiaries, dusky or
blackish brown, edged with light brown; greater and lesser under
wing coverts, white, those near the edge of the wing black in the
centre. The tail, wedge-shaped, has the centre feathers blackish brown,
glossed with green towards the end, w i t h lighter edges, tips, and shafts,
those on the sides gradually lighter brown, enclosed in black, and
edged and tipped with white; upper tail coverts, brown with lighter
or buff-coloured edges to the feathers; under tail coverts, wdiite, but
pervaded with a tinge of buff, the shafts of the feathers black. The
legs, bare of feathers for half an inch above the knee joint, are dull
yellowish green; toes, dull yellowish green; claws, dusky black.
The female is paler in colour.