SCOLOPACID.E. 195 



brown, spotted with two shades of reddish-brown ; 

 the length one inch nine lines, by one inch and two 

 lines in breadth.'* 



My friend Mr. Sharpe told me of a Great Snipe 

 (now in the collection of Mrs. De Vitre at Formosa), 

 which was shot by Mr. John Wig, a few winters ago, 

 in the immediate neighbourhood of Cookham. 



Brown Snipe {Maa^orhampJius grisetcs). I have 

 reason to believe that one specimen of this rare Snipe 

 has been procured in the county of Buckingham, but 

 the details which have come to hand are very scanty. 

 My friend Mr. Way informs me that a few years ago 

 a relative of his shot a very rare Snipe, which is now 

 preserved in the possession of this relative. He de- 

 scribed the specimen to me as a * Yellow Snipe,' and 

 from his statement I conclude it to have been an 

 example of Macrorhamphus griseiis. Not having 

 seen the bird, however, I am guided only by the 

 description. 



Knot (Tringa CaniLtiis).-\ This bird is an uncom- 

 mon visitor so far inland, although, like many others 

 of the shore birds, it is plentiful on most parts of the 

 coast in spring and autumn. Mr. R. B. Sharpe 

 informed me that a single Knot was shot during the 

 winter of 1865 near Cookham, and was taken to 

 Mr. Joseph Ford, of that place, for preservation. 



* Yarrell's 'British Birds,' vol. iii. p. 22. 



t This bird has received its name, Caniittis, from the fact that it was 

 formerly ' a dainty dish to set before the king ' Canute : hence 

 Canute— Kanute — Knout— Knot. 



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