578 SOLITARY SANDPIPER.
flexible, compressed at the base, the point rather depressed and obtuse.
Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, the ridge convex, broader
at the base, slightly depressed towards the end, the sides sloping, towards
the end convex, the edges soft and obtuse, the tip very slightly deflected.
Nasal groove long and narrow, extending to a little beyond the middle of
the bill; nostrils basal, linear, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle
very long and extremely narrow, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex,
with a slight groove in their basal half.
Head small, oblong, anteriorly narrowed. Eyes large. Neck rather
long and slender. Body slender. Feet long and slender; tibia bare
nearly half its length, scutellate before and behind ; tarsus also scutellate
before and behind; hind toe very small and elevated; fore toes rather
long, very slender, connected at the base by webs, of which the outer is
much larger; second or inner toe considerably shorter than fourth, third
longest; all scutellate above, flat and marginate beneath. Claws small,
slightly arched, much compressed, rather obtuse, that of middle toe much
larger, with the inner edge enlarged.
Plumage very soft, blended, on the fore part of the head very short.
Wings long, narrow, pointed ; primaries rather narrow and tapering, first
and second equal, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries short, broad,
incurved, obliquely rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail rather
short, slightly rounded, of twelve rounded feathers.
Bill greenish-black. Iris brown ; edges of eyelids dark grey. Feet
greenish-grey, claws brownish-black. Upper part of the head, lores,
cheeks, hind neck and sides of the neck deep brownish-grey, the edges of
the feathers brownish-white; a dull white line from the bill to the eye ;
upper part of throat greyish-white ; fore-neck of the same colour, streaked
with brownish-grey, as are the sides; the rest of the lower parts greyishwhite.
The general colour of the back and scapulars is deep greenishbrown,
the feathers edged with a few small spots of white and dusky, those
on the inner secondaries more numerous. Wing-coverts similar, excepting
those along the edge of the wing, which with the alula and primary
coverts are deep brownish-black ; primary quills brownish-black, secondaries
greyish-brown; lower wing-coverts mottled with brownish-black
and white, the axillar feathers barred with greyish-white and dusky, as
are the upper tail-coverts and the tail-feathers, of which the two middle
are merely spotted with white on the edges.
SOLITARY SANDPIPER. 579
Length to end of tail 8^ inches, to end of wings 9, to end of claws 10;
extent of wings 16^; wing from flexure 5£ ; tail 9,; bill along the back
lft, along the edge of lower mandible 1 2 | ; tarsus lft ; middle toe
T
its claw Weight If oz.
Adult Female. Plate CCLXXXIX. Fig. 2.
There is no decided difference between the sexes in the colouring, but
the female is somewhat larger. From the only instance in which I found
this species in the act of depositing its eggs, I conclude that it generally
forms its nest on the higher grounds or along the declivities of hills.
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