CREAM-COLOURED COURSER 378 



i., p. 254, pi. cxvi. (1787) : ^ ' He first met with it running 

 upon some light land, and so little fearful was it, that after 

 he had sent for a gun, one was brought to him which, 

 having been charged some time, did not readily go off, 

 and, in consequence, he missed his aim. The report 

 frightened the bird away, but after making a turn or 

 two it again settled within 100 yards of him, when he 

 was prepared with a second shot, which despatched it. 

 It was observed to run with incredible swiftness, and at 

 intervals to pick up something from the ground, and was 

 so bold as to render it difficult to make it rise from the 

 ground in order to make a more secure aim on the wing. 

 The note was not like that of any kind of Plover, nor, 

 indeed, to be compared with that of any known bird. 



" This example, which the plate shows to be an im- 

 mature bird, passed into the Leverian Museum, and 

 having subsequently been purchased by Donovan for 

 eighty-three guineas, it found its way to the British 

 Museum. 



Boys, in his Birds of Sandwich, 1792, includes the 

 Cream-coloured Courser among the birds of that locality, 

 and undoubtedly refers to the bird obtained at Wing- 

 ham by W. Hammond, Esq. In a footnote in the 

 last edition of Yarrell's British Birds (vol. iii., p. 241) it 

 is stated : "With reference to that county (Kent), it 

 may be mentioned that Mr. J. E. Harting has furnished 

 the Editor with the following note : ' October 20, 1868 : 

 Saw to-day a specimen from the sale of the Margate 



' The date is not mentioned, but from tlie tenor of Latham's letter, 

 dated December 12, 1785, acknowledging the gift (communicated to 

 Mr. J. Gould by Mr. W. O. Hammond, the grandson of the donor), it 

 would appear that the bird was killed a short time previously.— H. 

 Saunders. 



