EREUNETES. 383 
tectricibus majoribus albo terminatis ; tectricibus primariorum et remigibus sepiariis, scapis primariorum 
fere albicantibus, secundariis intus albis, interioribus longissimis dorso concoloribus ; loris fuscescentibus ; 
fronte basali, facie laterali et corpore subtus toto pure albis, pectoris summi lateribus cinerascenti- 
brunneis et prepectore medio angustissime brunneo lineolato; subalaribus et axillaribus pure albis : 
rostro nigro, mandibula ad basin viridescenti-olivacea; pedibus viridescenti-olivaceis; iride saturate 
brunnea. Long. tota circa 5:8, ale 3°9, caude 1:6, culm. 1:1, tarsi 0-8. (Descr. maris adulti ex 
Chiapam. Mus. nostr.) 
Pil. estiv. Supra nigricans, cinnamomeo variegatus; prepectore et pectore summo et corporis lateribus 
nigricanti-brunneo fasciatim maculatis. (Descr. feminee adult ex 8. Barbara, California. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. NortH America, breeding in the Arctic and sub-Arctic Regions 12. — Mexico 
(Wagler®, Deppe & Schiede* +, Sumichrast ?*), Matamoros (Dresser 17), Cachuta, 
Sonora (Robinette), Hermosillo, Sonora (Ferrari-Perez 12), Mazatlan (Forrer 1°), 
Cordova (Sallé*), San Mateo, Tehuantepec city (Swmichrast 22), Cozumel I. 
(Gaumer 1216), GuatemMaLa, Duefias'*, Chiapam™, Carranza’, San José 12 
(0. S. & F. D. G.); Panama (1/‘Leannan }2).—Soura America in winter to Brazil 
and Peru !?; Swaw I.8. 
The breeding-habitat of E. pustllus is said to be “ Eastern North America, north of 
the United States,” and that of the race (E. occidentalis) is also given, in the A. O. U. 
‘Check-list,’ as “chiefly the Western United States, frequent eastward to the Atlantic 
coast, breeding far north, and migrating in winter to Central and South America” !0 20, 
The true £. pusiilus is supposed to visit the West Indies and South America. When 
we were in Guatemala we met with both forms, and Salvin’s note was to the effect that 
these Sandpipers were very common at Chiapam, on the Pacific coast. He writes :— 
“The variation in the length of the bill in this bird is very remarkable. Out of the 
same flock I have shot specimens with bills varying in length at least a quarter of 
an inch”, It is evident, therefore, that both these supposed races are found in 
Guatemala during the winter, and the idea of their possessing an eastern and a western 
habitat at all seasons cannot be entertained. In the ‘ Catalogue of Birds,’ Dr. Bowdler 
Sharpe has given the length of the bill in the large series of specimens in the British 
Museum, and has found every gradation between the long- and short-billed forms ¥, 
This seems to be an analogous case to that of the European Dunlin (Pelidna alpina), 
in which it is possible to obtain specimens with every variation in size of bill out of 
the same flock. 
The account given of the nesting-habits of this Sandpiper in Alaska is very interesting 
and amusing. The male, springing into the air, and hovering for nearly a minute, 
pours forth to the female a series of rather musical trills, the wings at the same time 
vibrating with such continuous motion that they appear to keep time with the rapid 
notes. On migration the species assembles in large flocks, which frequent the tidal 
rivers and mud-creeks 1 21, 
The nest is a depression amongst dried grass or in a tussock 47! The eggs are 
four in number and pyriform in shape: Mr. Oates finds that there are two types 
