Solitary Sandpiper, Tringa solitaria, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p. 53. pl. 58. fig. 3.
Green-rump Tatler, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 159.
Adult Male. Plate CCLXXXIX. Fig. 1.
Bill a little longer than the head, very slender, subcylindrical, straight, 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 greyish-white. The general colour of the back and scapulars is deep greenish-brown, 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.
Length to end of tail 8 1/2 inches, to end of wings 9, to end of claws 10; extent of wings 16 1/2; wing from flexure 5 1/4; tail 2; bill along the back 1 2/12 along the edge of lower mandible 1 2 1/2/12; tarsus 1 2/12; middle toe 11/12, its claw 2 1/2/12 Weight 1 3/4 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.