GRALLATORES. 173 



many birds wliicli, though never found breedmg in 

 England, visit us either occasionally by accident, or 

 regularly at certain periods of the year. Owing to 

 the increased and increasing number of field-natu- 

 ralists throughout the country, the habits of most 

 of these, during their stay with us, are now, pro- 

 bably, pretty well known. There are, nevertheless, 

 a few about which we have still something to learn, 

 and amongst these few, I believe, may be classed 

 the Green Sandpiper. 



In the various works on British birds which I 

 have perused, the information afforded on the habits 

 of this species is very scant. Most authors agree in 

 considering it a scarce and uncertain visitant to this 

 country, and indeed assert that its habits are yet 

 imperfectly understood. 



Having had good opportunities of studying the 

 habits of this bird in Middlesex, the following notes, 

 it is hoped, will be the more acceptable to ornitho- 

 logists, since they are the result, not of plagiarism, 

 but of actual observation. 



Notwithstanding its reputed rarity, I have long 

 considered the Green Sandpiper as a regular visitant 

 to this country in spring and autumn. It appears 

 first in April, and generally arrives about the 25th 

 of that month, and may then be found, singly or in 

 pairs, along the brook sides, where it frequents the 

 little bays of mud and sand that are often formed 

 where the stream winds. At this time of year the 



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