FLAT-BILLED SANDPIPER. 225 



the scapulars further bear on the outer webs a small longi- 

 tudinal whitish streak; wing-coverts blackish toward the 

 end, tipped with reddish-white ; throat, belly, and abdomen 

 of a pure white ; fore part and sides of the neck of a reddish- 

 white, variegated with small longitudinal streaks ; all the 

 feathers tipped with white ; on the sides of the body are 

 some large brown spots, and on the white feathers of the 

 lateral tail-coverts are some lanceolate spots; middle tail- 

 feathers black, edged with light red ; the lateral tail-feathers 

 and the quills bordered with pale grey; bill black, but 

 reddish-grey at its base ; feet of a greenish-grey." The 

 length about 6^- inches. 



Young in their First Plumage. — " Two longitudinal 

 bands of a reddish-white over the eyes ; a brown streak 

 between the bill and the eye ; top of the head, back, sca- 

 pulars, wing-coverts, rump, and the two middle tail-feathers 

 black, each feather being bordered with light red ; lateral 

 tail-feathers of a brownish-grey ; face, nape, sides of the 

 neck, breast, sides of the body, and lower tail-coverts of a 

 reddish-white, marked with a great number of black longi- 

 tudinal streaks ; throat, middle of the belly, and abdomen 

 white ; depressed base of the bill reddish-grey, point black ; 

 feet of a greenish-grey. Length 6 inches 4 or 6 lines." 



Habits. — M. Temminck states that this species extends 

 from the north of Europe to the islands of the Indian 

 Archipelago, and is reported to occur also on the continent 

 of India. He says it is pretty common on the lakes of 

 Switzerland, especially in spring, but has never been ob- 

 served in Holland ; and states that it inhabits the marshes 

 of the north of Europe and America. It is not, however, 

 included among the birds of the latter continent by its orni- 

 thologists. Although it has been met with in Germany, 

 France, and Italy, it appears to be of very rare occurrence 

 anywhere, unless during the breeding season in Norway and 

 Lapland, where its habits have been in some measure ob- 

 served by Mr. Daun, whose account of them is given by 

 Mr. Yarrell, in his History of British Birds : — " On its first 



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