Orn. U.S. and Canada, ii. p. 113), {*’This elegant ‘species,
söme seasons, is not uncommon: in the market of Boston, in
the months of August and September, being mét with near
the capes - of Massachusetts Bay. My friend Mr. ■ Cooper has
also obtained-specimens from the vicinity-of -Mb-w -Yerk.|4ïts
food, while here, r consists principallyscof landrand marine
insects, particularly grasshoppers, which, abounding: in the
autumn1, become the favourite prey^'of a variety'of birds.”
But although generally diffused-on migration throughout *the
United States' itds not as a rule-abundant, and: its- visif^are
somewhat irregular. 'Yieilfot originah^descriBed thëÉfIiciës
from m specimen obtained'in Louisiana. Mr. 'l^es^êri'fouhd
it in small flocks of from six to aMo^en individuals in August,
1868, near Matamoras ihuMexicO, froutiëhtöf
Texas, and: alsoTbetween thV former, and S an rAnteui:o - de
Bejar in Texas itself BÜ& Ur. Heerman saidAéÉhad ü ft
observed it ttóere fór ïse-v'eral'/seasonsi^ ^TIfe Mrds: ökfeied
•were very fat, and delicious eatingf?th%ym'êvë^seemed to
■frequent th a’,èdge vof . s mall nonds. Lhht piufëibeflM'tttë
sandy plains, and', the dry tracks "made'-by the1 e<^t-oh-teams ;
the call-note'-was low and weak/ ■ Canon felstra-m- öhta&éd
a specimen.-in the Bermudas' ojnfhe 14tteÉ^eh^feaffi84§ p it
has occurred ini-Cufe'a^and' in'bffo%>th' America
recorded from.:Celóèrtól,,. tho/Uppêr Amazon, Brazil, anM E
shores of .the Kio de/la»Mata,blhtedaftfeiOh®n^lpparently -thé
Southern limit of; if®.mfgratiOÈfèLs
Accordinglto -Pr#®.4 Co4fesViwh,ó- 'has 'e'M,nfÉ'fedi^Mfe£fet’a
dozebbets? taken' byiM&^MacFa rl&ifey t l 0 :-ê|gi;< ?fT thé flfluff-
breasted Sandpiper ' ai’e'hshaflly'fuur^dn numbeiviflfa %lay-
coloured or-greyisb- ground, with bold oBlohhes arid spohblff
rich timber-bro«g*,| the averageiQrneasuremenls 'appear-Ira w
IMS5« by l^tnn Thé nest. a blight^depr^ssiMM’i®^ the
ground, lined wife"a SMb^graSs^r a' fewtuaves.^'
Th'is species >i^read11^idist'ingftihG'd.?from':all other
birds,of this genus'?by.the «pecufiaivmarkings IplEthbfuhder
surface of ,-therwings.
The beak is Mender» ,and> yeiyv slightly «pqmulp threos
quarters.jof an inches lengthv ahd«greehish-!black ; from tlfc
point to the gape it measures one inch, and from the gape
to the occiput is also one inch: the irides hazel; the feathers
on the top;;.of the head darkjbrown, approaching to*
black,, each feather Judged with very light brown,,giving a
mottled appearance ;• the backoff th e ' neck light brown, the
dark spots formed by the centre of each feather minute,
the back very d a rk ' brown, ^the extreme -edges ..ouly of the
feathers .flight brown p/-the- wing|Coveits brown ; the!,i primaries
nearly - black,Hipped with whit'el^the shafts white ;
ther tertials brown,': edged tlpf® light brainy; upper tail-
cover,ts h r own, -Hght!® coloured"' borders the tail
cuneiform, j^e&Benfab feathers blayll/ytHe shafts, and edges
lighter ; the^feathers on eajh.Mde-'Hght brown,-.enclosedr; by ■
a gone of Jflaok, and cdg&d.with white ;.^be chin, sides>of
the.necki throat, and breast, lig h t :Browny tinged,.with huff ;
abdomen, flanks, an4\lundiq£. tail-coverts, white,MMtvp®1’'
vaded also -w'ith'-’the buffi-colour* ©jlt^ffe ‘"higher, parts'*- the
sides £©f the neck spotted^llioia / the dart,- centres r of th e
feathers occu.pydSgf a dagger surface than upon the -front;
axillary ph%ip puto white under surface of-the "bread web
off.tbe primaries beautifu|ly^-mottl§diwith dark*specks ; unde®
su&face- of tbpijfecpndarips, ending iml:sabre-shaped points,
presenting a senes'-of lines-formed byJalterflatthg- shades fii§
wl|tt:%, black, and dussfep; hai^fc,': which paLth^ adult bird are
wjjpMeffUed- and^p^ese^^be^tilully-^ariegated appearance,
peftnliar to ISts spctflu^^i
•^Fho'-vlfegsP-Mre bare fbr half an inch' -above«’* th e joint y
th ^ ^ su sp le a su re s |he,'ine’f| and a*d n ^ ter'; yfegs and t|hs
elayTyeHpw^tBfcpl^ws black. The whole length/o-fTthe bird
is%b.®ut^uightflhebe’sl -Frem-the carpal-gomt^ov&d end5! oh
the’hacst: quill-feather,ywjpfc is ^KeJ ,lbh^4stj|,'iflve fnc-hes and
a Quarter, i ;sThe female is a trifle smaller than the mafg^yy
^^fexthe yjuug bixd^ffithe year the back and. rump are
Sim'ewhat darter than i%theAaduiI/. and the under parts are
whiter. - '