34 MEMORANDA ON THE PURPLE SANDPIPER.
the shades of winter plumage of this species of Sandpiper, a
subject amply dealt with by many ornithologists.
In No. 1. ♂ (male) the dark, dusky, purply hue of the upper
parts was most marked. While the lower secondaries and wing
coverts exhibited whitish or slightly lead grey margins, there
was indication in a few of their free marginal extremities of a
brownish or rufous tinge—the remnants of summer dress.1
No. 2. ♀ (female) approached the preceding in tone of
colour above, with just appreciably more of grey and white on
the wing feathers; whilst the breast and under parts were
decidedly pronounced in mottled white. In some lights only was
there evidence of a glossy hue on the dorsum.
No. 3. ♀ (female) had still lighter mottled wings, and was
very markedly greyish white abdominally.2 In short the three
birds demonstrated that gradated alteration in marginal tints of
feathering so characteristic of some of the Charadriidae, between
their nuptial and winter plumage, as well as minor differences
sexually.
The more sombre or dingy winter garment of the Purple
Sandpiper contrasts somewhat with their assumed spring or
summer dress. When in full breeding costume the colouring
tends to a gayer, though by no means a gaudy hue. This is
brought about by the margin and feather tips of the upper parts
becoming whiter, and some reddish, bringing out in contrast
altogether a livelier aspect. As the breeding season wanes and
autumn succeeds, the feathers tone down in hue, producing that
swarthy aspect of the birds' winter migratory raiment. When
spring returns and sandpipers rush north, there is resumption of
the characteristic brighter tints. These changes take place quite
gradually and without moulting of the entire plumage, a subject
ably dealt with by Herr Gatke.3
Nomenclature.—I may here introduce a few words res-
pecting the specific name of the Purple Sandpiper. Your
President, in his useful volume, The Birds of Essex (published by
the Club 1890), refers to it as Tringa striata, and in so doing kept
in good company. This, inasmuch as that such ornithological
1 Compared with a specimen in Parson's collection of a ♂ (male) of first winter shot
on Southend beach, 10th Nov., 1837, the two closely resembled each other in feather tints.
2 The skeleton of No. 1, and skins of Nos. 2 and 3 are deposited in the Esses Nat. Hist.
Museum for future reference,
3 See chapter thereon in his Vogclwarte Helgoland (1891) ; or Eng, Transl., Heligoland
as an Ornithological Observatory (1895), p, 151-164.