B HO AD-BILLED SANDPIPER. 17
'] lie eggs are, in general, of a deep chocolate colour, sometimes
spotted and mottled with a darker shade of the same. They are four
in number.
Male; length, not quite six inches and a half; the bill, which is
( p a r excellence,' and that no doubt literally, for, as in all such cases,
i t is sure to be adapted and best adapted to the peculiar individuality
and idiosyncrasy of the bird, its separate and appropriate characteristic,
is dark brown towards tin1 point, and inclining to reddish brown at the
base; from it a dark brown streak goes back to the eye, and over it
and extending over the eye a white one with a brown central longitudinal
line. Iris, brown; head on the crown, brownish black slightly
varied with greyish white, and tinged with ferruginous; neck on the
sides and in front, greyish white varied with black spots, and tinged
with buff red; chin, nearly white, with minute white specks; throat
and breast on the upper part, greyish white with black spots, and
tinged with buff red; below white, Back on the lower part, black
with broad buff white or rufous margins to the feathers.
The wing^ have the first quill feather the longest; greater and lesser
wing coverts, black with wide buff white or rufous edges to the feathers;
primaries and secondaries, black with white shafts; tertiaries, black, the
feathers broadly margined with buff white or rufous. The tail is ash
grey, with buff margins to the feathers, except the two middle ones,
which, longer also than the others, arc nearly black, and tipped and
margined with rufous; upper tail coverts, black with rufous edges;
under tail coverts, white. Legs and toes, greenish black.
The engraving is from a drawing by J. Gatcombe, Esq.
VOL. v.