SCOLOPACIDiE — THE SNIPE FAMILY — RHYACOPHILUS. 283 



and axillars more narrowly barred with white. Winter •plumage : Similar to B. solitarius, except 

 as pointed out above. 



The introduction of this well-known European species into the list of American birds rests 

 upon the circumstance of a single stufled specimen, .said to have been killed in Nova Scotia, having 

 come into the possession of J. Edmund Hurting, Esq., the well-known authority on the Limicola;. 

 The collection of which it formed a part was received from a responsible dealer direct from Nova 

 Scotia. The skin had evidently been prepared l)y tlie same hand as the others of the collection, 

 which were all American species, so that there can be no reason to doubt the authenticity of the 

 ascribed locality. (Cf Brewer, '•Bull. Nutt. Oni. Club," III. Jan. 1878, p. 49.) 



The Green Saiulpiper, or White-tailed Tattler of Europe, was included by INuttall 

 as among the birds of North America. It is also given by Eichardson in his " Fauna 

 Boreali- Americana." l)ut was not included by Mr. Lawrence in the "Pacific Eailroad 

 Report," Vol. IX. Xuttall states that two specimens had been obtained at Hudson's 

 Bay, but he does not mention the name of his informant. It is now restored to the 

 list of Xorth American birds on the authority of J. Edmund Harting, Esq., who in 

 March, 1873, wrote to Professor Baird from London that he had recently received 

 from Mr. H. Whitely, a respectable dealer at Woolwich, a small parcel of Xorth 

 American skins which had been sent to him from Halifax, Xova Scotia, and that 

 among them was an example of this bird. Upon inquiry, he was assured by Mr. 

 Whitely that the skin came to him from Halifax, and that it had been prepared 

 there. Mr. Harting regards this as the first authentic instance of the occurrence of 

 the Green Sandpiper in Xorth America. 



According to Yarrell, the habits of this bird are as yet only imperfectly under- 

 stood. In England it ajjpears to be most plentiful in spring and autumn, a few 

 remaining there to breed, but the greater part going farther north, and probably 

 returning with their young. An occasional specimen of this bird is not infrequently 

 met during the winter months. In some of its habits it resembles our Solitary Tattler, 

 frequenting the sides of shallow streams and the banks of rivers and inland lakes and 

 ponds, not being usually found so near the sea as are the other Sandpipers. When 

 running it spreads and flirts up its tail like the European Eedshanks (T. calidris). 

 Its food consists of ^vornis and insects. By some it is known as the Whistling Sand- 

 piper, its note — which is a shrill whistle — being thought to sound like cheet-cheet- 

 cheet. 



Mr. Lubbock informed Yarrell that a pair of this species built its nest in a hol- 

 low on the side of a claypit in Norfolk, in the autumn of 1839, and that the bird was 

 common during sumjner and autumn, upon a small stream near Attleburgh. The 

 same gentleman also stated that he had killed a specimen on the 4th of January, 1837, 

 when there Avas a deep snow on the ground, and all the Snipes had been driven out 

 of the country by the severity of the weather. He was nearly certain that it remains 

 in England all the year, with the exception of that period in spring and early sum- 

 mer during Avhich it withdraw^s to rear its young. The 11th of April is the latest 

 time in spring at wdiich he has observed any. A nephew of Mr. Lubbock informed 

 him that on the 23d of July he saw six of this species together, and that they appeared 

 to be two old birds with their four young. This bird is also said to be not uncommon 

 along the whole line of the southern marine counties of England, from Romney Marsh, 

 in Kent, to Sussex, Hampshire, and thence to the Land's End. IMr. Edward Double- 

 day saw several pairs about small streams in the vicinity of Snow^don in summer ; and 

 two pairs were observed near Capel Curig. It is also a summer visitor in Ireland. Mr. 

 Henry Doubleday informed Yarrell that in November, 1840, he shot a Green Sand- 

 piper in the vicinity of Epping. The bird was only slightly wounded, and was kept 



