Red-backed Sandpiper, Tringa alpina, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p. 5. pl. 56. fig. 2. Summer.
Purre, Tringa Cinclus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p. 39. pl. 57. fig. 3. Winter.
Tringa alpina, The American Dunlin, Swains. and Richards. Fauna Bor. Amer. part ii. p. 383.
Dunlin or Ox-Bird, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 106.
Adult Male in Summer. Plate CCXC. Fig. 1.
Bill longer than the head, slender, subcylindrical, nearly straight, being slightly curved towards the end, compressed at the base, the point rather depressed and obtuse. Upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, slightly sloping at the base, and slightly decurved towards the end, the ridge narrow, towards the end flattened, at the point convex, sides sloping, edges rather blunt and soft. Nasal groove long, extending to near the point; nostrils basal, linear, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle long and very narrow, the dorsal line slightly concave, the sides sloping outwards, towards the end convex.
Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Eyes rather small. Neck of moderate length. Body rather full. Feet slender, of moderate length; tibia bare a considerable way up, anteriorly and posteriorly scutellate, as is the compressed tarsus; hind toe very small and elevated, anterior toes of moderate length, slender; inner toe slightly shorter than outer, middle toe considerably longer; all scutellate above, marginate with prominent papillæ, and free. Claws small, slightly arched, extremely compressed, blunt; edge of middle claw dilated and thin.
Plumage very soft, blended; on the back the feathers rather distinct. Wings long and pointed; primaries tapering, obtuse, the first longest, the second a little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries rather short, obliquely cut at the end with a recurved blunt point, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail rather short, even, but with the two middle feathers considerably longer, of twelve feathers.
Bill and feet black. Iris dark brown. The upper part of the head, the back and the scapulars, are chestnut-red, each feather brownish-black in the centre, and the scapulars barred with the same colour. The 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 the 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.
Length to end of tail 8 1/2 inches, to end of wings 8 7/12; extent of wings 15, wing from flexure 4 10/12; tail 2 5/12; bill along the ridge 1 7/12, along the edge of lower mandible 1 6/12; tarsus 1; middle toe 10/12, its claw 2 1/2/12. Weight 3 oz.