Part 23

Bill a little shorter than the head, rather stout, compressed, tapering, straightish, being recurvate in a slight degree; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, and a little declinate as far as the middle, then concave, and towards the end convex, the nasal grooves extending to near the end, the ridge rather broad and flattened, the tip compressed and bluntish; lower mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, the dorsal line ascending, and slightly convex, the sides grooved for half their length, convex toward the end, the tip narrowed, but blunt. Nostrils subbasal, linear, near the margin. Head rather small, ovate, rounded in front; neck of ordinary length; body rather full. Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare at the lower part, and reticulated; tarsus roundish, with small angular scales all round, those on the fore part larger; toes four, with numerous scutella, the first very small, and placed higher, the anterior toes free to the base, distinctly margined on both edges, flat beneath, the inner considerably shorter than the outer. Claws rather small, curved, compressed, blunted. Plumage full, soft, rather dense, on the neck and lower parts blended. Wings very long, narrow, and pointed; first primary longest, inner secondaries much elongated. Tail rather short, even, of twelve moderately broad feathers. Name from [Greek: Aphros], foam; and [Greek: xaô], to live.

323. 1. Aphriza Townsendii, Aud. Townsend's Surf-Bird.

Plate CCCCXXVIII. Female.

Bill dusky, toward the base orange, feet bluish-green; upper parts blackish-grey; quills greyish-black; a broad band of white on the wing, occupying the tips of the primary coverts; the terminal third of the secondary coverts, the bases, and more or less of the margins and tips of the quills, several of the inner secondaries having only a streak of dusky on the inner web; shafts of quills also white, as are some of the feathers of the rump, the upper tail-coverts, and the basal half of the tail, of which the rest is black, the feathers narrowly edged with white at the end; throat greyish-white; cheeks, sides, and fore part of neck, and anterior part of breast, dull grey, of a lighter tint than the back; the rest of the lower parts white, with small longitudinal oblong dark grey streaks; axillaries and lower wing-coverts white.

_Female_, 11; wing, 7-1/2.

Cape Disappointment, Columbia River.

Townsend's Surf-Bird, Aphriza Townsendi, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 249.

GENUS III. STREPSILAS, Illiger. TURNSTONE.

Bill a little shorter than the head, rather stout, compressed, tapering, straightish, being recurvate in a slight degree; upper mandible with the dorsal line very slightly concave, the nasal groove extending to the middle, the sides beyond it sloping, the tip depressed and blunted; lower mandible with the angle short, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the sides convex, the edges sharp, the tip depressed and blunted. Nostrils subbasal, linear-oblong, pervious. Head rather small, ovate; neck of ordinary length; body rather full. Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare at the lower part, and covered with reticulated scales; tarsus roundish, with numerous broad anterior scutella; toes four, the first very small and elevated, anterior toes free to the base, distinctly margined, the inner a little shorter than the outer. Claws rather small, arched, compressed, blunted. Plumage full, soft, rather dense, and glossy. Wings long, pointed, of moderate breadth, first quill longest, inner secondaries elongated. Tail rather short, slightly rounded, of twelve moderately broad feathers.

324. 1. Strepsilas Interpres, Linn. Turnstone.

Plate CCCIV. Summer and winter plumage.

Adult in summer with the bill black, feet deep orange; plumage varied with white, black, brown, and red; upper parts of the head and nape streaked with black and reddish-white; a broad band of white crossing the forehead, passing over the eyes, and down the sides of the neck, the hind part of which is reddish-white, faintly mottled with dusky; a frontal band of black curving downwards before the eye, enclosing a white patch on the lore, and meeting another black band glossed with blue, which proceeds down the neck, from the base of the lower mandible, enlarging behind the ear, covering the whole anterior part of the neck, and passing along the shoulders over the scapulars; the throat, hind part of the back, outer scapulars, upper tail-coverts, and under parts of body and wings, white; anterior smaller, wing-coverts dusky, the rest bright chestnut or brownish-orange, as are the outer webs of the inner tertiaries; alula, primary coverts, outer secondary coverts and quills blackish-brown, the inner webs becoming white towards the base; a broad band of white across the wing, including the bases of the primary quills, excepting the outer four, and the ends of the secondary coverts; shafts of primaries white; tail white, with a broad blackish-brown band towards the end, broader in the middle, the tips white; a dusky band crossing the rump. In winter, the throat, lower parts, middle of the back, upper tail-coverts, and band across the wing, white, as in summer; tail and quills also similarly coloured, but the inner secondaries destitute of red, of which there are no traces on the upper parts, they being of a dark greyish-brown colours, tipped or margined with paler; outer edges of outer scapulars, and some of the smaller wing-coverts, white; on the sides and fore part of the neck, the feathers blackish.

_Male_, 9, 18-3/4.

Not uncommon along the shores of the Southern States during winter, though the greater number remove much farther south. Breeds in high northern latitudes, Hudson's Bay, and shores of Arctic Seas. Never in the interior.

Turnstone, Tringa Interpres, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 32.

Strepsilas Interpres, Bonap. Syn. p. 299.

Strepsilas Interpres, Turnstone, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 371.

Turnstone or Sea Dotterel, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 30.

Turnstone, Strepsilas Interpres, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 31.

GENUS IV. HÆMATOPUS. OYSTER-CATCHER.

Bill long, slender, straight, or slightly recurvate, higher than broad at the base, extremely compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and slightly sloping at the base, somewhat convex beyond the nostrils, then straight and sloping to the point, the ridge broad and flattened as far as the prominence, afterwards extremely narrow, the sides sloping at the base, perpendicular towards the end, the edges rather sharp, the tip abrupt and wedge shaped; nasal groove long, bare; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the sides erect, the edges thin, the tip abrupt and wedged. Nostrils subbasal, linear, near the margin. Head of moderate size, ovate, the forehead rounded; neck of moderate length; body compact. Feet of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare for about a fourth of its length; tarsus slightly compressed, covered all round with hexagonal scales; toes of moderate length, stout, marginate, flat beneath, webbed at the base, the outer considerably longer than the inner, the first wanting. Claws rather small, arched, moderately compressed, obtuse. Plumage generally blended, on the back compact. Wings long, pointed, the first quill longest. Tail short, nearly even, of twelve feathers. Tongue short, triangular, fleshy; œsophagus dilated into a pretty large crop; stomach oblong, muscular, with the epithelium dense and longitudinally rugous; intestine long and rather slender; cœca long and nearly cylindrical; cloaca globular.

325. 1. Hæmatopus palliatus, Temm. American Oyster-catcher.

Plate CCXXIII. Male.

Bill vermilion, feet very pale flesh-colour; head and neck dull black tinged with bluish-grey; upper parts light greyish-brown, tinged with olive, and faintly glossed with reddish-purple; lower eyelid, edge of wing, tips of secondary coverts, secondary quills except the inner, pure white; as are the lower parts generally, the rump, and basal half of the tail; primaries and terminal part of tail brownish-black.

_Male_, 18-1/2, 32-1/2, bill 3-5/8. _Female_, 21, 36.

Breeds from Texas along the coast to New York, again from Maine to Labrador. Returns south in autumn, spending the winter from Maryland to West Florida. Rather common.

Hæmatopus palliatus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. v. ii. p. 532.

Mantled Oyster-catcher, Hæmatopus palliatus, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 15.

American Oyster-catcher, Hæmatopus palliatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 181; v. v. p. 580.

326. 2. Hæmatopus Bachmanii, Aud. Bachman's Oyster-catcher.

Plate CCCCXXVII. Fig. 1. Male.

Bill vermilion, fading to yellow on the worn parts towards the end; feet white, slightly tinged with flesh-colour; plumage chocolate-brown, darker and tinged with bluish-grey on the head and neck; the under surface of the quills lighter.

_Male_, 17-1/2, wing 10; bill 2-3/4.

North-west coast, Regent's Sound, and about the mouth of the Columbia River. Rather common. Migratory.

Bachman's Oyster-catcher, Hæmatopus Bachmani, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 245.

327. 3. Hæmatopus Townsendii, Aud. Townsend's Oyster-catcher.

Plate CCCCXXVII. Fig. 2. Female.

Bill vermilion, paler toward the end; feet blood-red; plumage chocolate-brown, darker and tinged with bluish-grey on the head, neck, and breast; under surface of quills light brownish-grey, with the shafts whitish; many of the wing-coverts narrowly tipped with brownish-white.

_Female_, 20; wing 11; bill 3-2/12.

Coast of California, and along the shores of the North Pacific, southward and northward. Rather common. Migratory.

Townsend's Oyster-catcher, Hæmatopus Townsendi, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 247.

FAMILY XXXVI. SCOLOPACINÆ. SNIPES.

Bill longer than the head, subulate, slender, straight, or recurved, or decurved; upper mandible with the nasal groove very long, the edges flattened or rounded, the tip generally rather obtuse; lower mandible with the angle extremely long and narrow, the sides longitudinally grooved. Nostrils basal, linear, small. Head rather small, oblong, anteriorly rounded; neck of moderate length or long; body ovate, deep. Legs generally long, slender; tarsus long, compressed, scutellate; toes generally four, first small, sometimes wanting; anterior toes of moderate length, slender. Claws small, arched, compressed, rather acute. Wings long, pointed, with the first quill longest, and the inner secondaries tapering and much elongated; tail rather short, of twelve feathers. Tongue long, slender, trigonal, pointed; œsophagus of moderate width, stomach oblong or roundish, moderately muscular, with dense rugous epithelium; intestine long, of moderate width; cœca rather long, cylindrical, contracted at the base. Trachea flattened, with a single pair of inferior laryngeal muscles.

GENUS I. TRINGA, Linn. SANDPIPER.

Bill little longer than the head, slender, straight, compressed, tapering, with the tip a little enlarged and blunt; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and slightly declinate, the ridge narrow and flattened until towards the end, when it becomes considerably broader, the sides sloping, the tip convex above and ending in a blunt point, the edges thick and flattened; nasal groove extending to near the tip; lower mandible with the angle long and very narrow, the dorsal line straight, the sides sloping outwards, with a long narrow groove, the tip a little broader, but tapering. Head rather small, oblong, compressed; neck of ordinary length; body rather full. Feet rather long, slender; tibia bare a third part of its length; tarsus anteriorly and posteriorly scutellate; hind toe very small, or wanting, the rest of moderate length, slender, the fourth slightly longer than the second, the third longest, all free, broadly marginate, with numerous scutella. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, rather obtuse. Plumage soft, blended, on the back distinct. Wings very long, pointed; primaries tapering, obtuse, the first longest; one of the inner secondaries very long. Tail rather short, nearly even, of twelve feathers.

328. 1. Tringa Bartramia, Wils. Bartramian Sandpiper.--Highland Plover. Papabote.

Plate CCCIII. Male and Female.

Bill scarcely longer than the head, slender, slightly deflected at the end, yellowish-green, with the tip dusky; legs rather long, light greyish-yellow, toes greenish; upper part of head dark brown, with a median pale yellowish-brown line, of which colour are the margins of the feathers; hind part and sides of the neck light yellowish-brown, streaked with dusky; fore part of neck and breast paler, with longitudinal pointed dusky streaks, becoming transverse on the breast and sides; throat and the rest of the lower parts yellowish-white, except the axillars and lower wing-coverts which are white, banded with brownish-black; on the upper parts the feathers dark brown glossed with green, their margins with alternate yellowish-brown and dusky spots; the hind part of the back darker, without spots; alula, primary coverts, and primary quills, blackish-brown, the inner webs crossed by white bands until about an inch from the end; the shaft of first quill brownish-white, of the rest brown; secondaries greyish-brown, the outer margins pale brown, with dusky spots, the inner darker; two middle feathers of tail dark olive, tinged with grey, transversely barred with black, the last bar arrow-shaped, the margins cream-coloured; the next feather on each side lighter, and tinged with yellowish-red, the rest gradually lighter, the outer white, all barred with black.

_Male_, 12-1/2, 22. _Female_, 13, 22-3/4.

From Texas along the coast to Nova Scotia. Breeds from Maryland northward to the Saskatchewan. In vast flocks in Louisiana, Oppelousas, and the Western Prairies, in autumn and spring. Rare in Kentucky.

Bartram Sandpiper, Tringa Bartramia, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 63.

Totanus Bartramius, Bonap. Syn. p. 262.

Totanus Bartramius, Bartram Tatler, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 391.

Bartramian Tatler, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 169.

Bartramian Sandpiper, Totanus Bartramius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 24.

329. 2. Tringa Islandica, Linn. Ash-coloured Sandpiper.--Knot. Grey-back, Red-breasted Sandpiper.

Plate CCCXV. Summer and winter plumage.

In summer, the bill and feet black, upper part of the head and hind neck light grey, tinged with buff, and longitudinally streaked or spotted with dusky; fore part of back and scapulars variegated with brownish-black and yellowish, and each feather with several spots of the latter, and tipped with whitish; hind part of the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, barred with black; wing-coverts ash-grey, edged with paler; alula and primary coverts brownish-black, tipped with white; primaries similar, their shafts, and the outer margins of all, excepting the first three white, the inner webs toward the base light grey; secondaries and their coverts grey, margined with white; sides of head, fore part of neck, breast, and abdomen, rich brownish-orange; lower tail-coverts and feathers of legs white, each of the former with a central dusky arrow-shaped or elongated spot; axillaries white, barred with dusky; lower wing-coverts dusky with white margins. In winter the bill greenish-black, feet yellowish-green; upper parts deep ash-grey, each feather margined with whitish; feathers of rump greyish-white; upper tail-coverts white, barred with dusky; quills and tail as in summer; a band from the bill over the eye to the hind part of the head, white; loral space, cheeks, and sides of neck pale grey, streaked with darker; throat and lower parts white; sides, axillar feathers, and lower wing-coverts, barred or spotted with dusky; lower tail-coverts as in summer. Young in autumn like the adult in winter, but each feather on the upper parts with a narrow margin of white, within which is a dusky line.

_Male_, 10-1/4, 21.

In autumn and spring ranges along the coast from Texas to Labrador. Breeds in the Fur Countries, to a very high latitude. Common.

Ash-coloured Sandpiper, Tringa cinerea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 36. Winter.

Red-breasted Sandpiper, Tringa rufa, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 57. Summer.

Tringa islandica, Bonap. Syn. p. 350.

Tringa cinerea, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 387.

Knot or Ash-coloured Sandpiper, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 125.

Knot or Ash-coloured Sandpiper, Tringa islandica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 130.

330. 3. Tringa pectoralis, Bonap. Pectoral Sandpiper.

Plate CCXCIV. Male and Female.

Bill dull olive-green, dusky towards the point; feet dull yellowish-green; upper part of head reddish-brown, the central part of each feather brownish-black; a faint whitish line from the bill to a little beyond the eye; lores dusky; sides of head and anterior and lateral parts of neck, with a portion of the breast, light brownish-grey, with longitudinal dark brown lines; chin, breast, and abdomen white; feathers of the upper part brownish-black, edged with reddish-brown, those on the wings lighter; primary quills dusky, outer secondaries tinged with grey, and narrowly tipped with white, inner like the back; tail-feathers light brownish-grey, slightly margined and tipped with white, the two central dark like the back.

_Male_, 9-1/4, 18.

From Nova Scotia to Maryland, along the coast. Rather common. Migratory. Breeds in the north.

Tringa pectoralis, Pectoral Sandpiper, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 44.

Tringa pectoralis, Bonap. Syn. p. 318.

Pectoral Sandpiper, Tringa pectoralis, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 111.

Pectoral Sandpiper, Tringa pectoralis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 601; v. v. p. 582.

331. 4. Tringa maritima, Brunnich. Purple Sandpiper.

Plate CCLXXXIV. Fig. 1. Adult in summer. Fig. 2. In winter.

Bill deep orange, dusky toward the end; feet light orange. Head greyish-brown, tinged with purple, its sides and those of the neck deep purple; back and wings brownish-black, with purple gloss, the margins of the feathers white; quills brownish-black, their shafts, the tips of all the secondaries, and the greater part of the middle ones, white; middle tail-feathers brownish-black, tinged with purple, the lateral shaded with ash-grey; upper part of throat greyish-white, fore neck grey; breast, sides, and abdomen white. In winter, the lower parts are pale grey, the upper parts have the purplish tints much fainter, the white edgings substituted by dull grey.

_Male_, 9-1/2, 14-3/4.

Abundant from Maine to New York, in autumn and spring. Breeds in Hudson's Bay, and on Melville Island.

Tringa maritima, Bonap. Syn. p. 318.

Tringa maritima, Purple Sandpiper, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 382.

Purple Sandpiper, Tringa maritima, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 558.

332. 5. Tringa rufescens, Vieill. Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

Plate CCLXV. Male and Female.

Bill not longer than the head, dull olive-green, dusky toward the point; feet dull yellowish-green; upper parts greyish-yellow, each feather blackish-brown in the centre; wing-coverts lighter; quills and coverts light greyish-brown, greenish-black at the end, with the tip whitish, the inner webs whitish in the greater part of their breadth, and beautifully dotted with black, in undulating lines; the inner secondaries like the back; the two middle tail-feathers greyish-brown, at the end dark brown glossed with green, and slightly margined and tipped with white, the rest gradually paler to the outer, margined and tipped with white, within which are two lines of blackish-brown; sides of the head, fore neck, and sides light yellowish-red, the throat paler, the sides of the neck and body spotted with brownish-black, the rest of the lower parts paler and unspotted; lower wing-coverts white, those near the edge of the wing black in the centre, primary coverts dotted with black, and having a spot of the same near the end.

_Male_, 8, 18.

Along the Atlantic shores from Maine to New York. Rare. Migratory. Breeds in high northern latitudes.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tringa rufescens, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 113.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tringa rufescens, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 451.

333. 6. Tringa alpina, Linn. Red-backed Sandpiper.

Plate CCXC. Adult in summer and winter.

Bill one-third longer than the head, slender, slightly curved toward the end, and with the feet black. Upper part of the head, back, and scapulars, chestnut-red, each feather brownish-black in the centre, and the scapulars barred with the same colour; wing-coverts greyish-brown, as are the quills; the bases and tips of the secondaries, and part of the outer webs of the middle primaries white; tail light brownish-grey, the two middle feathers darker; forehead, sides of head, and hind neck, pale reddish-grey, streaked with dusky; fore neck and anterior part of breast greyish-white, streaked with dusky; on the breast a large patch of brownish-black; abdomen and lower tail-coverts white, the latter with dusky markings. In winter, the general colour of the upper parts brownish-grey; the wings and tail as in summer; throat greyish-white; sides of head and neck, and fore part of the latter, pale brownish-grey, faintly streaked with darker, as are the sides; the rest of the lower parts white, with a few streaks on the breast.

_Male_, 8-1/2, 15.

From Nova Scotia to Texas, along all muddy or sandy shores, during autumn and spring. Common. Breeds in great numbers on the Arctic coasts.

Tringa Cinclus and alpina, Linn. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 251, 429.

Red-backed Sandpiper, Tringa alpina, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 5.

Tringa alpina, Bonap. Syn. p. 317.

Tringa alpina, American Dunlin, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 383.

Dunlin or Ox-bird, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 106.

Red-backed Sandpiper, Tringa alpina, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 580.

334. 7. Tringa subarquata, Temm. Curlew Sandpiper.

Plate CCLXIII. Adult and Young.

Bill one-third longer than the head, slightly decurved, dark olive; feet light olive-green; head, neck, and breast, bright yellowish-red, sides whitish, lower tail-coverts white, with a brownish-black spot towards the end; on the upper part of the head the central parts of the feathers dark brown, and the hind neck and sides of the breast slightly streaked with the same; upper parts mottled with brownish-black and light red, the rump pale brownish-grey, as are the smaller wing-coverts; quills greyish-brown, primaries darker, outer secondaries light and tipped with white, inner darker, and glossed with green; upper tail-coverts white, spotted with brown and red; tail pale brownish-grey, glossed with green. In winter, the feathers of the upper parts dark brown, edged with darker, and margined with greyish-yellow; lore, cheeks, and sides of the neck and body greyish-yellow, with dusky lines; a broad band from mandible over the eye, the fore part of the neck, and the rest of the lower parts white; quills and tail as in winter, but lighter. Young in autumn like the adult in winter.

Accidental on the Florida coast in winter, rare on those of the middle districts. Breeds in high latitudes. Migratory.

Tringa subarquata, Bonap. Syn. p. 317.

Cape Curlew or Sandpiper, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 104.

Curlew Sandpiper, Tringa subarquata, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 444.

335. 8. Tringa Himantopus, Bonap. Long-legged Sandpiper.

Plate CCCXLIV. Adult in spring and winter.